Name: efficient dissection and culture of primary mouse retinal pigment epithelial cells
Uploaded: 2021-02-10T14:30:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Efficient Dissection and Culture of Primary Mouse Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells at JoVE.com

This work was supported by the Ocular Genomics Institute at Massachusetts Eye and Ear.

The guidelines of the ARVO Statement for the Use of Animals in Ophthalmic and Vision Research were followed.
NOTE: This method has been proven successful with mice of different genetic backgrounds, including C57BL/6J, B10.D2-Hco H2d H2-T18c/oSnJ, and albino mice, at various ages. Preferably use 8 to 12-week-old mice to obtain RPE cells. RPE cells from older mice proliferate less in culture and younger mice have fewer and smaller cells, which requires pooling ey...

<ol>
	<li>Fernandez-Godino, R., Garland, D. L., Pierce, E. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Isolation,+culture+and+characterization+of+primary+mouse+RPE+cells.">Isolation, culture and characterization of primary mouse RPE cells.</a> Nature Protocols. 11 (7), 1206-1218 (2016).</li><li>Strauss, O. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+retinal+pigment+epithelium+in+visual+function.">The retinal pigment epithelium in visual function.</a> Physiological Reviews. 85 (3), 845-881 (2005).</li><li>Konari, K., 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+the+blood-retinal+barrier+in+vitro:+Formation+of+tight+junctions+as+revealed+by+occludin+and+ZO-1+correlates+with+the+barrier+function+of+chick+retinal+pigment+epithelial+cells.">Development of the blood-retinal barrier in vitro: Formation of tight junctions as revealed by occludin and ZO-1 correlates with the barrier function of chick retinal pigment epithelial cells.</a> Experimental Eye Research. 61 (1), 99-108 (1995).</li><li>Kay, P., Yang, Y. C., Paraoan, L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Directional+protein+secretion+by+the+retinal+pigment+epithelium:+Roles+in+retinal+health+and+the+development+of+age-related+macular+degeneration.">Directional protein secretion by the retinal pigment epithelium: Roles in retinal health and the development of age-related macular degeneration.</a> Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine. 17 (7), 833-843 (2013).</li><li>Johnson, L. V., Leitner, W. P., Staples, M. K., Anderson, D. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Complement+activation+and+inflammatory+processes+in+drusen+formation+and+age+related+macular+degeneration.">Complement activation and inflammatory processes in drusen formation and age related macular degeneration.</a> Experimental Eye Research. 73 (6), 887-896 (2001).</li><li>Hageman, G. S., 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=An+integrated+hypothesis+that+considers+drusen+as+biomarkers+of+immune-mediated+processes+at+the+RPE-Bruch's+membrane+interface+in+aging+and+age-related+macular+degeneration.">An integrated hypothesis that considers drusen as biomarkers of immune-mediated processes at the RPE-Bruch's membrane interface in aging and age-related macular degeneration.</a> Progress in Retinal and Eye Research. 20 (6), 705-732 (2001).</li><li>Lommatzsch, 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=Are+low+inflammatory+reactions+involved+in+exudative+age-related+macular+degeneration.">Are low inflammatory reactions involved in exudative age-related macular degeneration.</a> Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology. 246 (6), 803-810 (2008).</li><li>Bandyopadhyay, M., Rohrer, B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Matrix+metalloproteinase+activity+creates+pro-angiogenic+environment+in+primary+human+retinal+pigment+epithelial+cells+exposed+to+complement.">Matrix metalloproteinase activity creates pro-angiogenic environment in primary human retinal pigment epithelial cells exposed to complement.</a> Investigative Ophthalmology &amp; Visual Science. 53 (4), 1953-1961 (2012).</li><li>Fernandez-Godino, R., Garland, D. L., Pierce, E. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+local+complement+response+by+RPE+causes+early-stage+macular+degeneration.">A local complement response by RPE causes early-stage macular degeneration.</a> Human Molecular Genetics. 24 (19), 5555-5569 (2015).</li><li>Fernandez-Godino, R., Bujakowska, K. M., Pierce, E. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Changes+in+extracellular+matrix+cause+RPE+cells+to+make+basal+deposits+and+activate+the+alternative+complement+pathway.">Changes in extracellular matrix cause RPE cells to make basal deposits and activate the alternative complement pathway.</a> Human Molecular Genetics. 27 (1), 147-159 (2018).</li><li>Fernandez-Godino, R., Pierce, E. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=C3a+triggers+formation+of+sub-retinal+pigment+epithelium+deposits+via+the+ubiquitin+proteasome+pathway.">C3a triggers formation of sub-retinal pigment epithelium deposits via the ubiquitin proteasome pathway.</a> Scientific Reports. 8 (1), 1-14 (2018).</li><li>Farkas, M. 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=Mutations+in+Pre-mRNA+processing+factors+3,+8,+and+31+cause+dysfunction+of+the+retinal+pigment+epithelium.">Mutations in Pre-mRNA processing factors 3, 8, and 31 cause dysfunction of the retinal pigment epithelium.</a> American Journal of Pathology. 184 (10), 2641-2652 (2014).</li><li>Geisen, P., Mccolm, J. R., King, B. M., Hartnett, E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Characterization+of+Barrier+Properties+and+Inducible+VEGF+Expression+of+Several+Types+of+Retinal+Pigment+Epithelium+in+Medium-Term+Culture.">Characterization of Barrier Properties and Inducible VEGF Expression of Several Types of Retinal Pigment Epithelium in Medium-Term Culture.</a> Current Eye Research. 31, 739 (2006).</li><li>Sch&#252;tze, 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=Retinal+pigment+epithelium+findings+in+patients+with+albinism+using+wide-field+polarization-sensitive+optical+coherence+tomography.">Retinal pigment epithelium findings in patients with albinism using wide-field polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography.</a> Retina. 34 (11), 2208-2217 (2014).</li><li>Samuels, I. S., Bell, B. A., Pereira, A., Saxon, J., Peachey, N. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Early+retinal+pigment+epithelium+dysfunction+is+concomitant+with+hyperglycemia+in+mouse+models+of+type+1+and+type+2+diabetes.">Early retinal pigment epithelium dysfunction is concomitant with hyperglycemia in mouse models of type 1 and type 2 diabetes.</a> Journal of Neurophysiology. 113 (4), 1085-1099 (2015).</li><li>Garland, D. L., 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=Mouse+genetics+and+proteomic+analyses+demonstrate+a+critical+role+for+complement+in+a+model+of+DHRD/ML,+an+inherited+macular+degeneration.">Mouse genetics and proteomic analyses demonstrate a critical role for complement in a model of DHRD/ML, an inherited macular degeneration.</a> Human Molecular Genetics. 23 (1), 52-68 (2014).</li><li>Fu, L., 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=The+R345W+mutation+in+EFEMP1+is+pathogenic+and+causes+AMD-like+deposits+in+mice.">The R345W mutation in EFEMP1 is pathogenic and causes AMD-like deposits in mice.</a> Human Molecular Genetics. 16 (20), 2411-2422 (2007).</li><li>Greenwald, S. 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=Mouse+Models+of+NMNAT1-Leber+Congenital+Amaurosis+(LCA9)+Recapitulate+Key+Features+of+the+Human+Disease.">Mouse Models of NMNAT1-Leber Congenital Amaurosis (LCA9) Recapitulate Key Features of the Human Disease.</a> American Journal of Pathology. 186 (7), 1925-1938 (2016).</li><li>Gupta, P. 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=Ift172+conditional+knock-out+mice+exhibit+rapid+retinal+degeneration+and+protein+trafficking+defects.">Ift172 conditional knock-out mice exhibit rapid retinal degeneration and protein trafficking defects.</a> Human Molecular Genetics. 27 (11), 2012-2024 (2018).</li><li>Gibbs, D., Williams, D. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Isolation+and+culture+of+primary+mouse+retinal+pigmented+epithelial+cells.">Isolation and culture of primary mouse retinal pigmented epithelial cells.</a> Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology. 533, 347-352 (2003).</li><li>Bonilha, V. L., Finnemann, S. C., Rodriguez-Boulan, E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Ezrin+promotes+morphogenesis+of+apical+microvilli+and+basal+infoldings+in+retinal+pigment+epithelium.">Ezrin promotes morphogenesis of apical microvilli and basal infoldings in retinal pigment epithelium.</a> Journal of Cell Biology. 147 (7), 1533-1547 (1999).</li><li>Nandrot, E. 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=Loss+of+synchronized+retinal+phagocytosis+and+age-related+blindness+in+mice+lacking+&#945;v&#946;5+integrin.">Loss of synchronized retinal phagocytosis and age-related blindness in mice lacking &#945;v&#946;5 integrin.</a> Journal of Experimental Medicine. 200 (12), 1539-1545 (2004).</li><li>Maminishkis, 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=Confluent+monolayers+of+cultured+human+fetal+retinal+pigment+epithelium+exhibit+morphology+and+physiology+of+native+tissue.">Confluent monolayers of cultured human fetal retinal pigment epithelium exhibit morphology and physiology of native tissue.</a> Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science. 47 (8), 3612-3624 (2006).</li><li>Maminishkis, A., Miller, 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=Experimental+models+for+study+of+retinal+pigment+epithelial+physiology+and+pathophysiology.">Experimental models for study of retinal pigment epithelial physiology and pathophysiology.</a> Journal of Visualized Experiments. (45), (2010).</li><li>Brydon, E. M., 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=AAV-Mediated+Gene+Augmentation+Therapy+Restores+Critical+Functions+in+Mutant+PRPF31+/&#8722;+iPSC-Derived+RPE+Cells.">AAV-Mediated Gene Augmentation Therapy Restores Critical Functions in Mutant PRPF31+/&#8722; iPSC-Derived RPE Cells.</a> Molecular Therapy - Methods and Clinical Development. 15, 392-402 (2019).</li><li>Shang, P., Stepicheva, N. A., Hose, S., Zigler, J. S., Sinha, D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Primary+cell+cultures+from+the+mouse+retinal+pigment+epithelium.">Primary cell cultures from the mouse retinal pigment epithelium.</a> Journal of Visualized Experiments. 2018 (133), (2018).</li><li>Bonilha, V. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Age+and+disease-related+structural+changes+in+the+retinal+pigment+epithelium.">Age and disease-related structural changes in the retinal pigment epithelium.</a> Clinical Ophthalmology. 2 (2), 413 (2008).</li></ol>

While several methods for mouse RPE cell isolation and culture had been developed before1,13,20,22,26,27, Fernandez-Godino&#39;s method first used membrane inserts allowing the efficient growth of the RPE cells in culture for weeks1,9. Another major change in their pr...

This protocol, which was originally reported by Fernandez-Godino et al. in 20161, describes a method to efficiently isolate and culture mouse retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells, which form a functional and polarized RPE monolayer within one week on Transwell plates. The&#160;RPE&#160;is a monolayer located in the eye between the neural retina and the Bruch&#39;s membrane. This single layer consists of highly polarized and pigmented epithelial cells joined by tight junctions, exhibiting a hexagonal shape that resembles a honeycomb2. Despite this apparent histological simplicity, the RPE performs a wide variety of functions critical to the retina and the normal visual cycle2,3,4. The main functions of the RPE monolayer include light absorption, nourishment and renewal of photoreceptors, removal of metabolic end products, control of the ion homeostasis in the subretinal space and maintenance of the blood-retinal barrier2,3. The RPE also has an important role in local modulation of the immune system in the eye5,6,7,8,9,10,11. Degeneration and/or dysfunction of the RPE are common features shared by many ocular disorders such as retinitis pigmentosa, Leber congenital amaurosis, albinism, diabetic retinopathy, and macular degeneration12,13,14,15. Unfortunately, the availability of human tissues is limited. Given their highly conserved genetic homology with humans, mouse models represent a suitable and useful tool for studying ocular disorders16,17,18,19. Furthermore, the use of cultured primary RPE cells provides advantages such as genetic manipulation and drug testing that can accelerate the development of new therapies for these vision-threatening disorders9,11.
Existing methods available for mouse RPE isolation and culture lack reproducibly and do not recapitulate the RPE features in vivo with enough reliability. Cells tend to lose pigmentation, hexagonal shape and transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) within a few days in culture13, 20. Since establishing these primary RPE cell cultures from mice is a challenging process, this optimized protocol has been created based on other protocols to isolate RPE cells from rat and human eyes21,22,23 to dissect the mouse eyes, collect the RPE and culture the mouse RPE cells in vitro.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>10 ml BD Luer-Lok tip syringe, disposable</td>
			<td>BD Biosciences</td>
			<td>309604</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>15 ml centrifuge tube</td>
			<td>VWR International</td>
			<td>21008-103</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>50 ml centrifuge tube</td>
			<td>VWR International</td>
			<td>21008-951</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Alpha Minimum Essential Medium</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>M4526-500ML</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Angled micro forceps</td>
			<td>WPI</td>
			<td>501727</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Bench-top centrifuge</td>
			<td>any</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>CO2 incubator</td>
			<td>Thermo</td>
			<td>HERA VIOS 160I CO2 SST TC 120V</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dissecting microscope</td>
			<td>Any</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dulbecco&#8217;s Phospate Buffered Saline no Calcium, no Magnesium</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>14190144</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dumont #5 45&#176; Medical Biology tweezers, 0.05 x 0.01 mm tip, 11 cm length</td>
			<td>WPI</td>
			<td>14101</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Ethanol</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>E7023-500ML</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Falcon Easy-Grip Clear Polystyrene Cell Culture Dish, 35mm</td>
			<td>BD Biosciences</td>
			<td>353001</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fetal Bovine Serum</td>
			<td>Hyclone</td>
			<td>SH30071.03</td>
			<td>Heat inactivated.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Hank&#8217;s Balanced Salt Solution plus Calcium and Magnesium, no Phenol Red</td>
			<td>Life Technologies</td>
			<td>14175095</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Hank&#8217;s Balanced Salt Solution plus Calcium and Magnesium, no Phenol Red B6</td>
			<td>Life Technologies</td>
			<td>14025092</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>HEPES 1M</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>15630106</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Hyaluronidase</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>H-3506 1G</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Hydrocortisone</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>H-0396</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Laminar flow hood</td>
			<td>Thermo</td>
			<td>CLASS II A2 4 115V PACKAGECLA</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Laminin 1mg/ml</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>L2020-1 MG</td>
			<td>Dilute in PBS at 37C to 1mg/ml</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>McPherson-Vannas Micro Scissors 8 cm long</td>
			<td>WPI</td>
			<td>503216</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Non-essential amino acids 100X</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>11140050</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>N1 Supplement 100X</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>N6530-5ML</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Penicillin-Streptomycin</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>15140-148</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sterile Bard-Parker Carbon steel surgical blade size 11</td>
			<td>Fisher-Scientific</td>
			<td>08-914B</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Taurine</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>T-0625</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tissue culture treated 12-well plates</td>
			<td>Fisher-Scientific</td>
			<td>08-772-29</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tissue culture treated 6-well plates</td>
			<td>Fisher-Scientific</td>
			<td>14-832-11</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Transwell supports 6.5 mm</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>CLS3470-48EA</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Triiodo-thyronin</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>T-5516</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Trypsin-EDTA (0.25%), phenol red</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>25200056</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tweezer, Dumont #5 Medical Biology 11 cm, curved, stainless steel 0.02 x 0.06 mm Mod tips</td>
			<td>WPI</td>
			<td>500232</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Vannas Scissors 8cm long, stainless steel</td>
			<td>WPI</td>
			<td>501790</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Whatman Puradisc 25mm Syringe Filters 0.45&#956;m pore size</td>
			<td>Fisher-Scientific</td>
			<td>6780-2504</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

efficient dissection and culture of primary mouse retinal pigment epithelial cells

Eye disorders affect millions of people worldwide, but the limited availability of human tissues hinders their study. Mouse models are powerful tools to understand the pathophysiology of ocular diseases because of their similarities with human anatomy and physiology. Alterations in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), including changes in morphology and function, are common features shared by many ocular disorders. However, successful isolation and culture of primary mouse RPE cells is very challenging. This paper is an updated audiovisual version of the protocol previously published by Fernandez-Godino et al. in 2016 to efficiently isolate and culture primary mouse RPE cells. This method is highly reproducible and results in robust cultures of highly polarized and pigmented RPE monolayers that can be maintained for several weeks on Transwells. This model opens new avenues for the study of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying eye diseases. Moreover, it provides a platform to test therapeutic approaches that can be used to treat important eye diseases with unmet medical needs, including inherited retinal disorders and macular degenerations.

This protocol has been used to isolate and culture RPE cells from genetically modified mice1. No differences have been observed between mouse strains or gender. The results have helped to understand some important aspects of the mechanism underlying ocular diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, which is the most common cause of vision loss among the elderly9. RPE cells isolated following this protocol were completely attached to the membrane insert 24 hours afte...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Efficient Dissection and Culture of Primary Mouse Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells at JoVE.com

Efficient Dissection and Culture of Primary Mouse Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells

This protocol, which was originally reported by Fernandez-Godino et al. in 20161, describes a method to efficiently isolate and culture mouse RPE cells, which form a functional and polarized RPE monolayer within one week on Transwell plates. The procedure takes approximately 3 hours.

Eye disorders affect millions of people worldwide, but the limited availability of human tissues hinders their study. Mouse models are powerful tools to ...

This protocol allows for the efficient isolation and culture of mouse RPE cells. Healthy primary mouse RPE cultures are valuable models to understand the mechanisms of underlying eye diseases. Confluent and viable RPE cultures obtain within three days and can be grown for weeks.This protocol has been successfully used to understand the mechanisms underlying early age-related macular degeneration, which is the leading cause of blindness among the elderly in developed countries. It is important to visualize the dissection steps. Details are critical for the success of the protocol, for instance, how to handle the eyeballs so that the sclera isn't punched, where exactly cuts should be performed, and how to embed the eye cups in trypsin so that they stay open.Begin with preparing all the necessary reagents for the protocol. Then, start cleaning the eyeball by carefully removing all connective tissue, blood, and muscles, using Dumont number five forceps and angled scissors, without making any cuts in the sclera. Transfer the eyeball to a fresh dish containing three milliliters of HEPES-free HBSS buffer regularly to keep the eye fresh and clean and avoid any contamination.Use the optic nerve as a handle to hold the eyeball and make a hole in the center of the cornea with a sharp carbon steel number 11 blade. Make three incisions in the cornea through the hole with Dumont number five scissors, ensuring that there is sufficient space to remove the lens. Hold the optic nerve and apply slight pressure to the ora serrata with the base of the angled scissors, until the lens comes out completely.Keep the iris epithelium intact to prevent the detachment of the neural retina and RPE during incubation. Place the eye in HEPES-free HBSS buffer. Incubate the eyes without lenses in hyaluronidase solution at 37 degrees Celsius for 45 minutes in a 5%carbon dioxide aerated incubator to detach the neural retina from the RPE.Place each eye in a new well with 1.5 milliliters of cold HBSS HEPES buffer per well and incubate it on ice for 30 minutes. After washing, place each eye into a 35 millimeter culture dish with fresh HBSS HEPES buffer. Cut the cornea through the original incisions with eight centimeter Vannas scissors until the ora serrata is reached, then cut below the ora serrata to remove the iris epithelium and cornea.Hold the ora serrata with curved tweezers and using angled micro forceps, pull away the neural retina, making sure that the RPE layer is not cut. Then, cut the internal attachment to the optic nerve. Cut the optic nerve and transfer each eye cup to a different 12 well plate containing 1.5 milliliters of fresh trypsin-EDTA per well.Ensure that the eye cups remain opened and completely submerged in the trypsin. Incubate the eye cups at 37 degrees Celsius for 45 minutes in a 5%carbon dioxide incubator. Collect each eye cup together with any RPE sheets detached during the trypsin incubation and transfer them into a 12 well plate containing 1.5 milliliters of FBS solution per well.If RPE sheets remain in the trypsin solution, use a micropipette to transfer them to the well with FBS solution. Hold each eye cup by the optic nerve and shake it face down into the 12 well plate containing 1.5 milliliters of 20%FBS in HBSS HEPES buffer until complete detachment of the RPE sheets is achieved. Collect any RPE sheets and RPE clusters with a micropipette, avoiding any white pieces of sclera or choroid, which could contaminate the cultures, and place them in a 15 milliliter tube.Pull two eyes from the same mouse in one tube. Then, centrifuge the RPE mixture at 340 x g for two minutes at room temperature and discard the supernatant. Gently resuspend the RPE pellet in a one milliliter mixture of 0.25%trypsin-EDTA and incubate it for one minute in a water bath at 37 degrees Celsius to disaggregate the RPE sheets into single cells.Then gently pipette up and down 10 times, avoiding bubble formation. Add nine milliliters of freshly prepared RPE medium to dilute and inactivate the trypsin and centrifuge the mixture at 340 x g for two minutes at room temperature. Aspirate the supernatant and carefully resuspend the cell pellet in 150 microliters of RPE medium with 5%FBS.Next, remove PBS from the bottom chamber of the previously prepared laminin coated membrane insert and add 700 microliters of RPE medium to it. Remove the laminin from the upper chamber of the membrane insert and distribute the RPE cell suspension drop-wise and uniformly to the center of the chamber. Place the membrane insert undisturbed in a 5%carbon dioxide incubator at 37 degrees Celsius for at least 24 hours.Then check the membrane insert under the microscope to make sure that most RPE cells are attached to the insert and the confluence is at least 50%Do not change the media during the first 72 hours. RPE cells isolated using this protocol showed the typical RPE size, morphology, and pigmentation. A highly-polarized RPE monolayer with two nuclei joined by tight junctions, along with the presence of apical microvilli and basal infoldings, was observed after one week.Polarization of the RPE monolayer was confirmed by TER values, with the average higher than 200 ohms centimeter squared, which remained stable over time. In phagocytosis assays performed on FITC labeled bovine POS, engulfment and digestion of POS was observed, indicating formation of a functional confluent monolayer of RPE cells. Viable cultures require short dissection time, which is achieved with experience.Some RPE cells may stay attached to the neural retina, but if several RPE sheets remain attached, the protocol will not succeed. Fresh hyaluronidase must be used every time to prevent this problem. These functional primary mouse RPE cell cultures are a valuable tool to study the pathobiology of the RPE in many eye diseases.For example, this protocol made it possible to study the pathobiology of the RPE in a mouse model of macular degeneration.

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Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

Ex Vivo Culture of Primary Human Fallopian Tube Epithelial Cells

Epithelial ovarian cancer is a leading cause of female cancer mortality in the United States. In contrast to other women-specific cancers, like breast and uterine carcinomas, where death rates have fallen in recent years, ovarian cancer cure rates have remained relatively unchanged over the past two decades 1. This is largely due to the lack of appropriate screening tools for detection of early stage disease where surgery and chemotherapy are most effective 2, 3. As a result, most patients present with advanced stage disease and diffuse abdominal involvement. This is further complicated by the fact that ovarian cancer is a heterogeneous disease with multiple histologic subtypes 4, 5. Serous ovarian carcinoma (SOC) is the most common and aggressive subtype and the form most often associated with mutations in the BRCA genes. Current experimental models in this field involve the use of cancer cell lines and mouse models to better understand the initiating genetic events and pathogenesis of disease 6, 7. Recently, the fallopian tube has emerged as a novel site for the origin of SOC, with the fallopian tube (FT) secretory epithelial cell (FTSEC) as the proposed cell of origin 8, 9. There are currently no cell lines or culture systems available to study the FT epithelium or the FTSEC. Here we describe a novel ex vivo culture system where primary human FT epithelial cells are cultured in a manner that preserves their architecture, polarity, immunophenotype, and response to physiologic and genotoxic stressors. This ex vivo model provides a useful tool for the study of SOC, allowing a better understanding of how tumors can arise from this tissue, and the mechanisms involved in tumor initiation and progression.

Ex Vivo Culture of Primary Human Fallopian Tube Epithelial Cells

The fallopian tube (FT) is emerging as an alternative site of origin for serous ovarian carcinoma (SOC). This protocol describes a novel method for the isolation and ex vivo culture of fallopian tube epithelial cells. This system recapitulates the in vivo epithelium and allows the study of SOC pathogenesis.

Epithelial ovarian cancer is a leading cause of female cancer mortality in the United States. In contrast to other women-specific cancers, like breast and ...

Isolation and Culture of Mouse Primary Pancreatic Acinar Cells

This protocol permits rapid isolation (in less than 1 hr) of murine pancreatic acini, making it possible to maintain them in culture for more than one week. More than 20 x 106 acinar cells can be obtained from a single murine pancreas. This protocol offers the possibility to independently process as many as 10 pancreases in parallel. Because it preserves acinar architecture, this model is well suited for studying the physiology of the exocrine pancreas in vitro in contrast to cell lines established from pancreatic tumors, which display many genetic alterations resulting in partial or total loss of their acinar differentiation.

In this publication, we describe a rapid and convenient procedure for isolating and culturing primary pancreatic acinar cells from the murine pancreas. This method constitutes a valuable approach to study the physiology of fresh primary normal/untransformed exocrine pancreatic cells.

This protocol permits rapid isolation (in less than 1 hr) of murine pancreatic acini, making it possible to maintain them in culture for more than one ...

MicroRNA Expression Profiles of Human iPS Cells, Retinal Pigment Epithelium Derived From iPS, and Fetal Retinal Pigment Epithelium

The objective of this report is to describe the protocols for comparing the microRNA (miRNA) profiles of human induced-pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) derived from human iPS cells (iPS-RPE), and fetal RPE. The protocols include collection of RNA for analysis by microarray, and the analysis of microarray data to identify miRNAs that are differentially expressed among three cell types. The methods for culture of iPS cells and fetal RPE are explained. The protocol used for differentiation of RPE from human iPS is also described. The RNA extraction technique we describe was selected to allow maximal recovery of very small RNA for use in a miRNA microarray. Finally, cellular pathway and network analysis of microarray data is explained. These techniques will facilitate the comparison of the miRNA profiles of three different cell types.

The microRNA (miRNA) profiles of human induced-pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) derived from human induced-pluripotent stem (iPS) cells (iPS-RPE), and fetal RPE, were compared.

The objective of this report is to describe the protocols for comparing the microRNA (miRNA) profiles of human induced-pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, ...

Isolation and Primary Culture of Mouse Aortic Endothelial Cells

The vascular endothelium is essential to normal vascular homeostasis. Its dysfunction participates in various cardiovascular disorders. The mouse is an important model for cardiovascular disease research. This study demonstrates a simple method to isolate and culture endothelial cells from the mouse aorta without any special equipment. To isolate endothelial cells, the thoracic aorta is quickly removed from the mouse body, and the attached adipose tissue and connective tissue are removed from the aorta. The aorta is cut into 1 mm rings. Each aortic ring is opened and seeded onto a growth factor reduced matrix with the endothelium facing down. The segments are cultured in endothelial cell growth medium for about 4 days. The endothelial sprouting starts as early as day 2. The segments are then removed and the cells are cultured continually until they reach confluence. The endothelial cells are harvested using neutral proteinase and cultured in endothelial cell growth medium for another two passages before being used for experiments. Immunofluorescence staining indicated that after the second passage the majority of cells were double positive for Dil-ac-LDL uptake, Lectin binding, and CD31 staining, the typical characteristics of endothelial cells. It is suggested that cells at the second to third passages are suitable for in vitro and in vivo experiments to study the endothelial biology. Our protocol provides an effective means of identifying specific cellular and molecular mechanisms in endothelial cell physiopathology.

The vascular endothelial cells play a significant role in many important cardiovascular disorders. This article describes a simple method to isolate and expand endothelial cells from the mouse aorta without using any special equipment. Our protocol provides an effective means of identifying mechanisms in endothelial cell physiopathology.

The vascular endothelium is essential to normal vascular homeostasis. Its dysfunction participates in various cardiovascular disorders. The mouse is an ...

Primary Cell Cultures from the Mouse Retinal Pigment Epithelium

The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is a highly polarized multi-functional epithelium that is located between the neural retina and the choroid of the eye. It is a single sheet of pigmented cells that are hexagonally packed and connected by tight junctions. The main functions of the RPE include absorption of light, phagocytosis of the shed photoreceptor outer segments, spatial buffering of ions, transport of nutrients, ions and water as well as active involvement in the visual cycle. With such important and diverse functions, it is critically important to study the biology of RPE cells. A number of RPE cell lines have been established; however, passaged and immortalized cells are known to quickly lose some of the morphological and physiological characteristics of natural RPE cells. Thus, primary cells are more suitable for studying different aspects of RPE cell biology and function. Mouse primary RPE cell culture is very useful to researchers since mouse models are widely used in biological studies, however collecting RPE cells from mouse is also very challenging due to their small size. Here, we present a protocol for establishing primary mouse RPE cell cultures which includes enucleation and dissection of the eyes and isolation of the RPE sheets to yield the cells for culturing. This method enables efficient cell recovery. The RPE cells obtained from two mice&#160;can reach confluency on one 12 mm polyester membrane insert pre-loaded in culture plate after one week of culture and display some of the original properties of bona fide RPE cells such as hexagonal shape and pigmentation after two weeks of culture.

The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is a multi-functional epithelium of the eye. Here we present a protocol to establish primary cell cultures derived from the murine RPE.

The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is a highly polarized multi-functional epithelium that is located between the neural retina and the choroid of the ...

Isolation, Culture, and Genetic Engineering of Mammalian Primary Pigment Epithelial Cells for Non-Viral Gene Therapy

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most frequent cause of blindness in patients &#62;60 years, affecting ~30 million people worldwide. AMD is a multifactorial disease influenced by environmental and genetic factors, which lead to functional impairment of the retina due to retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell degeneration followed by photoreceptor degradation. An ideal treatment would include the transplantation of healthy RPE cells secreting neuroprotective factors to prevent RPE cell death and photoreceptor degeneration. Due to the functional and genetic similarities and the possibility of a less invasive biopsy, the transplantation of iris pigment epithelial (IPE) cells was proposed as a substitute for the degenerated RPE. Secretion of neuroprotective factors by a low number of subretinally-transplanted cells can be achieved by Sleeping Beauty (SB100X) transposon-mediated transfection with genes coding for the pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) and/or the granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF). We established the isolation, culture, and SB100X-mediated transfection of RPE and IPE cells from various species including rodents, pigs, and cattle. Globes are explanted and the cornea and lens are removed to access the iris and the retina. Using a custom-made spatula, IPE cells are removed from the isolated iris. To harvest RPE cells, a trypsin incubation may be required, depending on the species. Then, using RPE-customized spatula, cells are suspended in medium. After seeding, cells are monitored twice per week and, after reaching confluence, transfected by electroporation. Gene integration, expression, protein secretion, and function were confirmed by qPCR, WB, ELISA, immunofluorescence, and functional assays. Depending on the species, 30,000-5 million (RPE) and 10,000-1.5 million (IPE) cells can be isolated per eye. Genetically modified cells show significant PEDF/GM-CSF overexpression with the capacity to reduce oxidative stress and offers a flexible system for ex vivo&#160;analyses and in vivo studies transferable to humans to develop ocular gene therapy approaches.

Here, a protocol to isolate and transfect primary iris and retinal pigment epithelial cells from various mammals (mice, rat, rabbit, pig, and bovine) is presented. The method is ideally suited to study ocular gene therapy approaches in various set-ups for ex vivo&#160;analyses and&#160;in vivo studies transferable to humans.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most frequent cause of blindness in patients &#62;60 years, affecting ~30 million people worldwide. AMD is a ...

Primary Culture of Porcine Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells

The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is a monolayer of polarized pigmented epithelial cells, located between the choroid and neuroretina in the retina. Multiple functions, including phagocytosis, nutrient/metabolite transportation, vitamin A metabolism, etc., are conducted by the RPE on a daily basis. RPE cells are terminally differentiated epithelial cells with little or no regenerative capacity. Loss of RPE cells results in multiple eye diseases leading to visual impairment, such as age-related macular degeneration. Therefore, the establishment of an in vitro culture model of primary RPE cells, which more closely resembles the RPE in vivo than cell lines, is critical for the characteristic and mechanistic studies of RPE cells. Considering the fact that the source of human eyeballs is limited, we create a protocol to culture primary porcine RPE cells. By using this protocol, RPE cells can be easily dissociated from adult porcine eyeballs. Subsequently, these dissociated cells attach to culture dishes/inserts, proliferate to form a confluent monolayer, and quickly re-establish key features of epithelial tissue in vivo within 2 wks. By qRT-PCR, it is demonstrated that primary porcine RPE cells express multiple signature genes at comparable levels with native RPE tissue, while the expressions of most of these genes are lost/highly reduced in human RPE-like cells, ARPE-19. Moreover, the immunofluorescence staining shows the distribution of tight junction, tissue polarity, and cytoskeleton proteins, as well as the presence of RPE65, an isomerase critical for vitamin A metabolism, in cultured primary cells. Altogether, we have developed an easy-to-follow approach to culture primary porcine RPE cells with high purity and native RPE features, which could serve as a good model to understand RPE physiology, study cell toxicities, and facilitate drug screenings.

Here, an easy-to-follow method to culture primary porcine retinal pigment epithelial cells in vitro is presented.

The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is a monolayer of polarized pigmented epithelial cells, located between the choroid and neuroretina in the retina. ...

Isolation of Primary Mouse Retinal Pigmented Epithelium Cells

The retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) layer lies immediately behind the photoreceptors and harbors a complex metabolic system that plays several critical roles in maintaining the photoreceptors' function. Thus, the RPE structure and function are essential to sustain normal vision. This manuscript presents an established protocol for primary mouse RPE cell isolation. RPE isolation is a great tool to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying RPE pathology in the different mouse models of ocular disorders. Furthermore, RPE isolation can help in comparing primary mouse RPE cells isolated from wild-type and genetically modified mice, as well as testing drugs that can accelerate the development of therapy for visual disorders. The manuscript presents a step-by-step RPE isolation protocol; the entire procedure, from enucleation to seeding, takes approximately 4 hours. The media shouldn't be changed for 5-7 days after seeding, to allow the growth of the isolated cells without disturbance. This process is followed by the characterization of morphology, pigmentation, and specific markers in the cells via immunofluorescence. Cells can be passaged a maximum of three or four times.

This manuscript describes a simplified protocol for the isolation of retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) cells from mouse eyes in a stepwise manner. The protocol includes the enucleation and dissection of mouse eyes, followed by the isolation, seeding, and culturing of RPE cells.

The retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) layer lies immediately behind the photoreceptors and harbors a complex metabolic system that plays several critical ...

Real-Time Analysis of Bioenergetics in Primary Human Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells Using High-Resolution Respirometry

Metabolic dysfunction of retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE) is a key pathogenic driver of retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). Since RPE are highly metabolically-active cells, alterations in their metabolic status reflect changes in their health and function. High-resolution respirometry allows for real-time kinetic analysis of the two major bioenergetic pathways, glycolysis and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), through quantification of the extracellular acidification rate (ECAR) and oxygen consumption rate (OCR), respectively. The following is an optimized protocol for conducting high-resolution respirometry on primary human retinal pigment epithelial cells (H-RPE). This protocol provides a detailed description of the steps involved in producing bioenergetic profiles of RPE to define their basal and maximal OXPHOS and glycolytic capacities. Exposing H-RPE to different drug injections targeting the mitochondrial and glycolytic machinery results in defined bioenergetic profiles, from which key metabolic parameters can be calculated. This protocol highlights the enhanced response of BAM15 as an uncoupling agent compared to carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone (FCCP) to induce the maximal respiration capacity in RPE. This protocol can be utilized to study the bioenergetic status of RPE under different disease conditions and test the efficacy of novel drugs in restoring the basal metabolic status of RPE.

The metabolic status of human retinal pigment epithelial cells (H-RPE) reflects their health and function. Presented here is an optimized protocol for examining the real-time metabolic flux of H-RPE using high-resolution respirometry.

Metabolic dysfunction of retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE) is a key pathogenic driver of retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration ...

Isolation of Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells from Guinea Pig Eyes

This protocol describes the isolation of cells of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) from the eyes of young pigmented guinea pigs for potential application in molecular biology studies, including gene expression analyses. In the context of eye growth regulation and myopia, the RPE likely plays a role as a cellular relay for growth modulatory signals, as it is located between the retina and the two walls of the eye, such as the choroid and sclera. While protocols for isolating the RPE have been developed for both chicks and mice, these protocols have proven not to be directly translatable to the guinea pig, which has become an important and widely used mammalian myopia model. In this study, molecular biology tools were used to examine the expression of specific genes to confirm that the samples were free of contamination from the adjacent tissues. The value of this protocol has already been demonstrated in an RNA-Seq study of RPE from young pigmented guinea pigs exposed to myopia-inducing optical defocus. Beyond eye growth regulation, this protocol has other potential applications in studies of retinal diseases, including myopic maculopathy, one of the leading causes of blindness in myopes, in which the RPE has been implicated. The main advantage of this technique is that it is relatively simple and&#160;once perfected, yields high-quality RPE samples suitable for molecular biology studies, including RNA analysis.

We describe a simple and efficient method for isolating cells of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells from the eyes of young pigmented guinea pigs. This procedure allows for follow-up molecular biology studies on the isolated RPE, including gene expression analyses.