Name: in vitro and in vivo bioluminescence reporter gene imaging of human embryonic stem cells
Uploaded: 2008-05-02T17:59:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about In vitro and in vivo Bioluminescence Reporter Gene Imaging of Human Embryonic Stem Cells at JoVE.com

Thanks to Tim Doyle, PhD and the Stanford Center for In Vivo Imaging for assistance with bioluminescence imaging. Also thanks to Ngan Huang, PhD for sharing her technique on stem cell co-injection with matrix solution. Lastly, thanks to Steve Felt, Ph.D. for assistance with veterinary animal care.

<ol>
<li>Construction of Double Fusion Reporter Gene<ol>
<li>In order to perform bioluminescence imaging of human embryonic stem cells, you first need to obtain cells that stably express a luciferase reporter gene such as firefly luciferase driven by a constitutive promoter like Ubiquitin or EF1a.</li>
<li>The focus of this protocol is on reporter gene applications, so detailed procedures are not provided here. However, our lab's general strategy is to use a double fusion construct vector that contains firefly luciferase (fluc)...

<ol>
	<li>Passier, R., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Increased+cardiomyocyte+differentiation+from+human+embryonic+stem+cells+in+serum-free+cultures.">Increased cardiomyocyte differentiation from human embryonic stem cells in serum-free cultures.</a> Stem Cells. 23, 772-780 (2003).</li><li>Laflamme, M. A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cardiomyocytes+derived+from+human+embryonic+stem+cells+in+pro-survival+factors+enhance+function+of+infarcted+rat+hearts.">Cardiomyocytes derived from human embryonic stem cells in pro-survival factors enhance function of infarcted rat hearts.</a> Nature biotechnology. 25, 1015-1024 (2007).</li><li>Baharvand, H., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Neural+differentiation+from+human+embryonic+stem+cells+in+a+defined+adherent+culture+conditi.">Neural differentiation from human embryonic stem cells in a defined adherent culture conditi.</a> Int J Dev Biol. 51, 371-378 (2007).</li><li>Schulz, T. C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Directed+neuronal+differentiation+of+human+embryonic+stem+cells.">Directed neuronal differentiation of human embryonic stem cells.</a> BMC Neurosci. 4, (2007).</li><li>Jiang, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Generation+of+Insulin-producing+Islet-like+Clusters+from+Human+Embryonic+Stem+Cells.">Generation of Insulin-producing Islet-like Clusters from Human Embryonic Stem Cells.</a> Stem Cells. 17, 17 (2007).</li><li>Swijnenburg, R. J., van der Bogt, K. E. A., Sheikh, A. Y., Cao, F., Wu, J. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Clinical+hurdles+for+the+transplantation+of+cardiomyocytes+derived+from+human+embryonic+stem+cells:+role+of+molecular+imaging.">Clinical hurdles for the transplantation of cardiomyocytes derived from human embryonic stem cells: role of molecular imaging.</a> Current Opinion in Biotechnology. 18, 38-45 (2007).</li><li>Herschman, H. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Molecular+imaging:+looking+at+problems,+seeing+solutions.">Molecular imaging: looking at problems, seeing solutions.</a> Science. 302, 605-608 (2003).</li><li>Lippincott-Schwartz, J., Patterson, G. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Development+and+use+of+fluorescent+protein+markers+in+living+cells.">Development and use of fluorescent protein markers in living cells.</a> Science. 300, 87-91 (2003).</li><li>Contag, P. R., Olomu, I. N., Stevenson, D. K., Contag, C. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Bioluminescent+indicators+in+living+mammals.">Bioluminescent indicators in living mammals.</a> Nature medicine. 4, 245-247 (1998).</li><li>Bhaumik, S., Gambhir, S. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Optical+imaging+of+Renilla+luciferase+reporter+gene+expression+in+living+mice.">Optical imaging of Renilla luciferase reporter gene expression in living mice.</a> Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 99, 377-382 (2002).</li><li>Tisi, L. C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Development+of+a+thermostable+firefly+luciferase.">Development of a thermostable firefly luciferase.</a> Analyica Chimica Acta. 457, 115-123 (2002).</li><li>Ray, P., Tsien, R., Gambhir, S. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Construction+and+validation+of+improved+triple+fusion+reporter+gene+vectors+for+molecular+imaging+of+living+subjects.">Construction and validation of improved triple fusion reporter gene vectors for molecular imaging of living subjects.</a> Cancer Res. 67, 3085-3093 (2007).</li><li>Cao, F., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=In+vivo+visualization+of+embryonic+stem+cell+survival,+proliferation,+and+migration+after+cardiac+delivery.">In vivo visualization of embryonic stem cell survival, proliferation, and migration after cardiac delivery.</a> . Circulation. 113, 1005-1014 (2006).</li><li>Cao, F., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Molecular+Imaging+of+Embryonic+Stem+Cell+Misbehavior+and+Suicide+Gene+Ablation.">Molecular Imaging of Embryonic Stem Cell Misbehavior and Suicide Gene Ablation.</a> Cloning and Stem Cells. 9, 107-117 (2007).</li><li>Ray, P., De, A., Min, J. J., Tsien, R. Y., Gambhir, S. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Imaging+tri-fusion+multimodality+reporter+gene+expression+in+living+subjects.">Imaging tri-fusion multimodality reporter gene expression in living subjects.</a> Cancer Res. 64, 1323-1330 (2004).</li><li>Wu, J. C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Proteomic+analysis+of+reporter+genes+for+molecular+imaging+of+transplanted+embryonic+stem+cells.">Proteomic analysis of reporter genes for molecular imaging of transplanted embryonic stem cells.</a> Proteomics. 6, 6234-6249 (2006).</li><li>Eiges, R., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Establishment+of+human+embryonic+stem+cell-transfected+clones+carrying+a+marker+for+undifferentiated+cells.">Establishment of human embryonic stem cell-transfected clones carrying a marker for undifferentiated cells.</a> Curr Biol. 11, 514-518 (2001).</li><li>Mohr, J. C., de Pablo, J. J., Palecek, S. P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Electroporation+of+human+embryonic+stem+cells:+Small+and+macromolecule+loading+and+DNA+transfection.">Electroporation of human embryonic stem cells: Small and macromolecule loading and DNA transfection.</a> Biotechnol Prog. 22, 825-834 (2006).</li><li>Siemen, H., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Nucleofection+of+human+embryonic+stem+cells.">Nucleofection of human embryonic stem cells.</a> Stem Cells Dev. 14, 378-383 (2005).</li><li>Lakshmipathy, U., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Efficient+transfection+of+embryonic+and+adult+stem+cells.">Efficient transfection of embryonic and adult stem cells.</a> Stem Cells. 22, 531-543 (2004).</li><li>Ma, Y., Ramezani, A., Lewis, R., Hawley, R. G., Thomson, J. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=High-Level+Sustained+Transgene+Expression+in+Human+Embryonic+Stem+Cells+Using+Lentiviral+Vectors.">High-Level Sustained Transgene Expression in Human Embryonic Stem Cells Using Lentiviral Vectors.</a> Stem Cells. 21, 111-117 (2003).</li><li>Menendez, P., Wang, L., Chadwick, K., Li, L., Bhatia, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Retroviral+transduction+of+hematopoietic+cells+differentiated+from+human+embryonic+stem+cell-derived+CD45(neg)PFV+hemogenic+precursors.">Retroviral transduction of hematopoietic cells differentiated from human embryonic stem cell-derived CD45(neg)PFV hemogenic precursors.</a> Molecular therapy. 10, 1109-1120 (2004).</li><li>Thyagarajan, B., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Creation+of+engineered+human+embryonic+stem+cell+lines+using+phiC31+integrase.">Creation of engineered human embryonic stem cell lines using phiC31 integrase.</a> Stem cells. 26, 119-126 (2008).</li><li>Liew, C. -. G., Draper, J. S., Walsh, J., Moore, H., Andrews, P. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Transient and Stable Transgene Expression in Human Embryonic Stem Cell. , .</li></ol>

Compared to other modalities such as PET and MRI, bioluminescence has limited spatial resolution and reduced tissue penetration due to the relatively weak energy of emitted photons (2-3 eV); for these reasons it has thus far not been applicable in large animals. However, bioluminescence has the advantage of being low-cost, high-throughput, and non-invasive, making it highly desirable for in vivo stem cell tracking in small animals. Non-bioluminescence reporter genes such as PET and fluorescence constructs may be used in ...

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">	
		
		<div>
		<table border="1">
		<thead>
		<tr>
		<th>Material Name</th>
		<th>Type</th>
		<th>Company</th>
		<th>Catalogue Number</th>
		<th>Comment</th>
		</tr>
		</thead>
		<tbody>
		
<tr>
<td>Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium (DMEM)</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>HyClone</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>BD Matrigel&#x2122; Basement Membrane Matrix</td>
<td>Growth factor reduced (optional: phenol-red free)</td>
<td>BD Biosciences</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>mTeSR1 Maintenance Medium for Human Embryonic Stem Cells</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>StemCell Technologies</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS)</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>D-Luciferin Firefly, potassium salt</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Biosynth AG</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Collagenase IV solution</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Dissolve 30 mg Collagenase Type IV in 30 mL DMEM-F12 media. Sterile filter and store at 4 degrees (Celsius).</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Baked Pasteur pipets</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>6-well tissue culture-treated plates</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>TPP</td>
<td>92006</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>		</tbody>
		</table>
		</div>

in vitro and in vivo bioluminescence reporter gene imaging of human embryonic stem cells

The discovery of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) has dramatically increased the tools available to medical scientists interested in regenerative medicine. However, direct injection of hESCs, and cells differentiated from hESCs, into living organisms has thus far been hampered by significant cell death, teratoma formation, and host immune rejection. Understanding the in vivo hESC behavior after transplantation requires novel imaging techniques to longitudinally monitor hESC localization, proliferation, and viability. Molecular imaging has given investigators a high-throughput, inexpensive, and sensitive means for tracking in vivo cell proliferation over days, weeks, and even months. This advancement has significantly increased the understanding of the spatio-temporal kinetics of hESC engraftment, proliferation, and teratoma-formation in living subjects.

A major advance in molecular imaging has been the extension of noninvasive reporter gene assays from molecular and cellular biology into in vivo multi-modality imaging platforms. These reporter genes, under control of engineered promoters and enhancers that take advantage of the host cell s transcriptional machinery, are introduced into cells using a variety of vector and non-vector methods. Once in the cell, reporter genes can be transcribed either constitutively or only under specific biological or cellular conditions, depending on the type of promoter used. Transcription and translation of reporter genes into bioactive proteins is then detected with sensitive, noninvasive instrumentation (e.g., CCD cameras) using signal-generating probes such as D-luciferin.

To avoid the need for excitatory light to track stem cells in vivo as is required for fluorescence imaging, bioluminescence reporter gene imaging systems require only an exogenously administered probe to induce light emission. Firefly luciferase, derived from the firefly Photinus pyralis, encodes an enzyme that catalyzes D-luciferin to the optically active metabolite, oxyluciferin. Optical activity can then be monitored with an external CCD camera. Stably transduced cells that carry the reporter construct within their chromosomal DNA will pass the reporter construct DNA to daughter cells, allowing for longitudinal monitoring of hESC survival and proliferation in vivo. Furthermore, because expression of the reporter gene product is required for signal generation, only viable parent and daughter cells will create bioluminescence signal; apoptotic or dead cells will not. 

In this video, the specific materials and methods needed for tracking stem cell proliferation and teratoma formation with bioluminescence imaging will be described.

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about In vitro and in vivo Bioluminescence Reporter Gene Imaging of Human Embryonic Stem Cells at JoVE.com

In vitro and in vivo Bioluminescence Reporter Gene Imaging of Human Embryonic Stem Cells

With the growing interest in stem cell therapies, molecular imaging techniques are ideal for monitoring stem cell behavior after transplantation. Luciferase reporter genes have enabled non-invasive, repetitive assessment of cell survival, location, and proliferation in vivo. This video will demonstrate how to track hESC proliferation in a living mouse.

The discovery of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) has dramatically increased the tools available to medical scientists interested in regenerative ...

Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

Derivation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells by Immunosurgery

The ability of human embryonic stem cells to self-renew and differentiate into all cell types of 
the body suggests that they hold great promise for both ...

In vitro Labeling of Human Embryonic Stem Cells for Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) have demonstrated the ability to restore the injured myocardium. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has emerged as one of ...

Culture and Maintenance of Human Embryonic Stem Cells  

Human embryonic stem (hES) cells must be monitored and cared for in order to maintain healthy, undifferentiated cultures. At minimum, the cultures must be ...

Freezing and Thawing Human Embryonic Stem Cells

Since James Thomson et al developed a technique in 1998 to isolate and grow hES in culture, freezing cells for later use and thawing and expanding cells ...

Implantation of Ferumoxides Labeled Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Cartilage Defects

The field of tissue engineering integrates the principles of engineering, cell biology and medicine towards the regeneration of specific cells and ...

Video Bioinformatics Analysis of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Colony Growth

Because video data are complex and are comprised of many images, mining information from video material is difficult to do without the aid of computer ...

Differentiation of Embryonic Stem Cells into Oligodendrocyte Precursors

Oligodendrocytes are the myelinating cells of the central nervous system. For regenerative cell therapy in demyelinating diseases, there is significant ...

Efficient Derivation of Human Cardiac Precursors and Cardiomyocytes from Pluripotent Human Embryonic Stem Cells with Small Molecule Induction

To date, the lack of a suitable human cardiac cell source has been the major setback in regenerating the human myocardium, either by cell-based ...

Reprogramming Human Somatic Cells into Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) Using Retroviral Vector with GFP

Reprogramming Human Somatic Cells into Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells iPSCs Using Retroviral Vector with GFP

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are pluripotent and an invaluable cellular sources for in vitro disease modeling and regenerative medicine1. It has ...

Isolation of Ribosome Bound Nascent Polypeptides in vitro to Identify Translational Pause Sites Along mRNA

Isolation of Ribosome Bound Nascent Polypeptides in vitro to Identify Translational Pause Sites Along mRNA

The rate of translational elongation is non-uniform. mRNA secondary structure, codon usage and mRNA associated proteins may alter ribosome movement on the ...