We would like to thank Microsystems Technology Laboratories at MIT for allowing us to film part of this video in the clean room facility.

Preparation
1. Create a Mask&nbsp;
<blockquote>
Using a CAD software, design the channel for high-resolution printing on a transparency. This will be the "mask".
</blockquote>
In the clean room:
2. Clean and bake the wafer
First, squirt the wafer with Acetone, then quickly with Methanol, then with Isopropanol. Finally, dry the wafer using Nitrogen.
Bake the wafer in the oven (130&deg;C) for 5 min.
3. Coating the wafer
Place the wafer at the center of the spin-coating machine. Pour photoresist (SU-8) from the bottle onto the wafer. Let the SU-8 flow and relax for ~ 10 s. Turn on the spin-coater and ramp its speed up from 0 to 500 rpm over 5 s; keep at 500 rpm for 10 s; ramp up to final speed over 10 s and maintain at final speed for 30 s. The final speed depends on the targeted coating thickness and the SU-8 used. The details can be found at <a href="http://www.microchem.com/">http://www.microchem.com/</a>
4. Soft-bake
After coating the wafer, bake it first at 65&deg;C and then at 95&deg;C. The baking time varies with targeted thickness and type of photoresist used. Then, let the wafer sit at room temperature for at least 5 min.
5. Exposure
Place the mask on top of the wafer and expose the wafer to UV light for the time recommended in the SU-8 manual.
6. Post-exposure bake
Bake the wafer at 65&deg;C and then 95&deg;C following the SU-8 manual's instructions.
7. Developing the wafer to obtain the "master" (mold)
Prepare a beaker filled with the developer (PMMA). Immerse the wafer into the beaker while very gently oscillating the beaker until the unexposed part of the photoresist is washed away.
In our lab:
8. Prepare PDMS and pour it onto the wafer
Mix the PDMS with its curing agent at 10:1 ratio into a cup. Stir and mix it homogenously: this will generate lots of bubbles and make the mixture look opaque. Pour the mixture on the "master".
9. De-bubble in vacuum chamber
To remove the bubbles, placed the master and PDMS mixture that is covering it into a vacuum chamber until all bubbles are gone.
10. Baking in oven
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Bake for at least 12 hours in an oven at 65&deg;C to harden the PDMS.
11. Punch holes
Peel off the PDMS from the master and punch holes for inlets and outlets of the channels.
In cleanroom (not shown)
12. Plasma bonding
Channels are bonded to a glass slide after treating both the PDMS layer and the glass slide with oxygen plasma for 1 min.
Experiments:
Exp #1: Investigating the chemotactic response of marine microbes to micro-scale nutrient layers
1) Setting up the experiment
<ol>
<li>Add organisms and substrates to glass syringes</li>
<li>Place microfluidic channel onto microscope stage and attach tubing to appropriate inlets and outlets</li>
<li>Connect tubing to waste reservoir. Make sure tubing is entirely submerged in the fluid in waste reservoir to avoid pressure oscillations</li>
<li>Place syringes onto syringe pump and connect to valves and tubing</li>
<li>Set up microscope: light conditions, magnification, etc.</li>
<li>Focus on appropriate position in the channel</li>
<li>De-bubble channel using larger syringe filled with artificial seawater</li>
<li>Set appropriate flow rate on syringe pump. In this case 2 ml/min, which corresponds to a mean flow velocity of 220 &micro;m s-1 in the channel</li>
</ol>
2) Running the experiment
<ol>
<li>Start syringe pump to establish a nutrient gradient in the channel</li>
<li>Once flow has stabilized and a band of nutrients has developed, stop the flow on the syringe pump and begin recording time from this point</li>
<li>Nutrient band begins to diffuse laterally</li>
<li>At regular time intervals, use image analysis software to record sequences of frames to create 'movies'</li>
<li>Discriminate swimming organisms by taking time-difference images&nbsp;between two subsequent&nbsp;frames, so that&nbsp;only moving objects are now visualized, allowing us to differentiate motile cells from non-moving particles and&nbsp;background noise</li>
<li>Take movies to determine positions of cells in the channel with reference to the position of the nutrient patch</li>
<li>Record movies at regular intervals for 10-20 min to analyze the positions and swimming patterns of organisms</li>
<li>By using the image analysis software to superimpose the positions of organisms in different frames (assigning to each pixel the maximum light intensity recorded in that pixel over the duration of the movie), we can&nbsp;obtain trajectory information for swimming cells&nbsp; </li>
</ol>
Exp #2: Investigating the effects of shear on marine bacteria swimming in a vortexZ
<ol>
<li>Using different channel geometry, we can observe the behavior of bacteria swimming in a vortex at different shear rates</li>
</ol>

<ol>
	<li>Azam, F., Malfatti, F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Microbial+structuring+of+marine+ecosystems.">Microbial structuring of marine ecosystems.</a> Nature Reviews Microbiology. 5, 782-791 (2007).</li><li>Blackburn, N., Azam, F., Hagstrom, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Spatially+explicit+simulations+of+a+microbial+food+web.+.">Spatially explicit simulations of a microbial food web. .</a> Limnology and Oceanography. 42, 613-622 (1997).</li><li>Blackburn, N., Fenchel, T., Mitchell, J. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Microscale+nutrient+patches+in+plankton+habitats+shown+by+chemotactic+bacteria.">Microscale nutrient patches in plankton habitats shown by chemotactic bacteria.</a> Science. 282, 2254-2256 (1998).</li><li>Keymer, J. E., Galajda, P., Muldoon, C., Park, S., Austin, R. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Bacterial+metapopulations+in+nanofabricated+landscapes.">Bacterial metapopulations in nanofabricated landscapes.</a> Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. 103, 17290-17295 (2006).</li><li>Mao, H., Cremer, P. S., Manson, M. D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+sensitive,+versatile+microfluidic+assay+for+bacterial+chemotaxis.">A sensitive, versatile microfluidic assay for bacterial chemotaxis.</a> Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. 100, 5449-5454 (2003).</li><li>Marcos, R., Stocker, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Microorganisms+in+vortices:+a+microfluidic+setup.">Microorganisms in vortices: a microfluidic setup.</a> Limnology and Oceanography: Methods. 4, 392-398 (2006).</li><li>Park, S., Wolanin, P. M., Yuzbahyan, E. A., Lin, H., Darnton, N. C., Stock, J. B., Silberzan, P., Austin, R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Influence+of+topology+on+bacterial+social+interaction.">Influence of topology on bacterial social interaction.</a> Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 100, 13910-13915 (2003).</li><li>Whitesides, G. M., Ostuni, E., Takayama, S., Jiang, X., Ingber, D. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Soft+lithography+in+biology+and+biochemistry.">Soft lithography in biology and biochemistry.</a> Annual Review of Biomedical Engineering. 3, 335-373 (2001).</li></ol>

An understanding of how marine microbes interact with their local chemical and physical environment is imperative for a more complete and precise perception of the role of planktonic microorganisms in the oceans nutrient and carbon cycles (Azam and Malfatti 2007). However, due to the small scales (&lt; mm) over which many important microbial interactions take place, technical limitations have prevented detailed examinations of microbial behaviour within the heterogeneous bio-physico-chemical landscape predicted to be ex...

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		<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>PDMS, Sylgard 184</td>
<td>Silicone Elastomer Kit</td>
<td>Dow Corning, Midland, MI, USA</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>http://www.ellsworth.com/sylgard.html</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SU8-2100</td>
<td>Photoresist</td>
<td>MicroChem, Newton, MA, USA</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>www.microchem.com
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nikon Eclipse TE2000-E inverted microscope</td>
<td>Microscope</td>
<td>Nikon, Japan</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>PEEK tubing (0.762 mm ID, 1.59 mm OD)</td>
<td>Tool</td>
<td>Upchurch Scientific, Oak Harbor, WA, USA</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>www.upchurch.com</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Syringes (Luer-Lok Tip)</td>
<td>Tool</td>
<td>BD, Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Fitting Part P-704-01</td>
<td>Tool</td>
<td>Upchurch Scientific, Oak Harbor, WA, USA</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>To connect tubing to Luer-Lok Tip Syringes</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Syringe Pump (PHD 2000 Programmable)</td>
<td>Equipment</td>
<td>Harvard Apparatus, Holliston, MA, USA</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>CCD Camera (PCO 1600)</td>
<td>Equipment</td>
<td>Cooke, Romulus, MI, USA</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>		</tbody>
		</table>
		</div>

chemotactic response of marine micro-organisms to micro-scale nutrient layers

The degree to which planktonic microbes can exploit microscale resource patches will have considerable implications for oceanic trophodynamics and biogeochemical flux. However, to take advantage of nutrient patches in the ocean, swimming microbes must overcome the influences of physical forces including molecular diffusion and turbulent shear, which will limit the availability of patches and the ability of bacteria to locate them. Until recently, methodological limitations have precluded direct examinations of microbial behaviour within patchy habitats and realistic small-scale flow conditions. Hence, much of our current knowledge regarding microbial behaviour in the ocean has been procured from theoretical predictions. To obtain new information on microbial foraging behaviour in the ocean we have applied soft lithographic fabrication techniques to develop 2 microfluidic devices, which we have used to create (i) microscale nutrient patches with dimensions and diffusive characteristics relevant to oceanic processes and (ii) microscale vortices, with shear rates corresponding to those expected in the ocean. These microfluidic devices have permitted a first direct examination of microbial swimming and chemotactic behaviour within a heterogeneous and dynamic seascape. The combined use of epifluorescence and phase contrast microscopy allow direct examinations of the physical dimensions and diffusive characteristics of nutrient patches, while observing the population-level aggregative response, in addition to the swimming behaviour of individual microbes. These experiments have revealed that some species of phytoplankton, heterotrophic bacteria and phagotrophic protists are adept at locating and exploiting diffusing microscale resource patches within very short time frames. We have also shown that up to moderate shear rates, marine bacteria are able to  fight the flow  and swim through their environment at their own accord. However, beyond a threshold high shear level, bacteria are aligned in the shear flow and are less capable of swimming without disturbance from the flow. Microfluidics represents a novel and inexpensive approach for studying aquatic microbial ecology, and due to its suitability for accurately creating realistic flow fields and substrate gradients at the microscale, is ideally applicable to examinations of microbial behaviour at the smallest scales of interaction.  We therefore suggest that microfluidics represents a valuable tool for obtaining a better understanding of the ecology of microorganisms in the ocean.

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Chemotactic Response of Marine Micro-Organisms to Micro-Scale Nutrient Layers at JoVE.com

Chemotactic Response of Marine Micro-Organisms to Micro-Scale Nutrient Layers

The fabrication of microfluidic channels and their implementation in experiments for studying the chemotactic foraging behaviour of marine microbes within a patchy nutrient seascape and the swimming behaviour of bacteria within shear flow are described.

The degree to which planktonic microbes can exploit microscale resource patches will have considerable implications for oceanic trophodynamics and ...

chemotactic-response-marine-micro-organisms-to-micro-scale-nutrient

Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

13.2K Views.  MIT - Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The fabrication of microfluidic channels and their implementation in experiments for studying the chemotactic foraging behaviour of marine microbes within a patchy nutrient seascape and the swimming behaviour of bacteria within shear flow are described.

Video: Chemotactic Response of Marine Micro-Organisms to Micro-Scale Nutrient Layers

Layers of Symbiosis - Visualizing the Termite Hindgut Microbial Community

Jared Leadbetter takes us for a nature walk through the diversity of life resident in the termite hindgut - a microenvironment containing 250 different species found nowhere else on Earth.  Jared reveals that the symbiosis exhibited by this system is multi-layered and involves not only a relationship between the termite and its gut inhabitants, but also involves a complex web of symbiosis among the gut microbes themselves.

Jared Leadbetter takes us for a nature walk through the diversity of life resident in the termite hindgut - a microenvironment containing 250 different species found nowhere else on Earth. Jared reveals that the symbiosis exhibited by this system is multi-layered and involves not only a relationship between the termite and its gut inhabitants, but also involves a complex web of symbiosis among the gut microbes themselves.

Jared Leadbetter takes us for a nature walk through the diversity of life resident in the termite hindgut - a microenvironment containing 250 different ...

Micro-scale Engineering for Cell Biology

In vivo Imaging of Deep Cortical Layers using a Microprism

We present a protocol for in vivo imaging of cortical tissue using a deep-brain imaging probe in the shape of a microprism.  Microprisms are 1-mm in size and have a reflective coating on the hypotenuse to allow internal reflection of excitation and emission light.  The microprism probe simultaneously images multiple cortical layers with a perspective typically seen only in slice preparations.  Images are collected with a large field-of-view (~900 &mu;m).  In addition, we provide details on the non-survival surgical procedure and microscope setup.  Representative results include images of layer V pyramidal neurons from Thy-1 YFP-H mice showing their apical dendrites extending through the superficial cortical layer and extending into tufts.  Resolution was sufficient to image dendritic spines near the soma of layer V neurons.  A tail-vein injection of fluorescent dye reveals the intricate network of blood vessels in the cortex.  Line-scanning of red blood cells (RBCs) flowing through the capillaries reveals RBC velocity and flux rates can be obtained. This novel microprism probe is an elegant, yet powerful new method of visualizing deep cellular structures and cortical function in vivo.

In vivo Imaging of Deep Cortical Layers using a Microprism

Right-angle microprisms inserted into the mouse neocortex allows for deep imaging of multiple cortical layers with a viewpoint typically found in slice. One-millimeter microprisms offer a wide field-of-view (~900 &mu;m) and spatial resolutions sufficient to resolve dendritic spines. We demonstrate layer V neuronal imaging and neocortical vascular imaging using microprisms.

We present a protocol for in vivo imaging of cortical tissue using a deep-brain imaging probe in the shape of a microprism.  Microprisms are 1-mm in size ...

Using the optokinetic response to study visual function of zebrafish

Optokinetic response (OKR) is a behavior that an animal vibrates its eyes to follow a rotating grating around it. It has been widely used to assess the visual functions of larval zebrafish1-5. Nevertheless, the standard protocol for larval fish is not yet readily applicable in adult zabrafish. Here, we introduce how to measure the OKR of adult zebrafish with our simple custom-built apparatus using a new protocol which is established in our lab. Both our apparatus and step-by-step procedure of OKR in adult zebrafish are illustrated in this video. In addition, the measurements of the larval OKR, as well as the optomotor response (OMR) test of adult zebrafish, are also demonstrated in this video. This OKR assay of adult zebrafish in our experiment may last for up to 4 hours. Such OKR test applied in adult fish will benefit to visual function investigation more efficiently when the adult fish vision system is manipulated.
Su-Qi Zou and Wu Yin contributed equally to this paper.

Optokinetic response has been widely used to assess the visual functions of larval zebrafish. Nevertheless, the standard protocol for larval fish is not yet readily applicable in adults1-5. Here, we introduce how to measure the OKR of adult zebrafish using a new protocol which is established in our lab.

Optokinetic response (OKR) is a behavior that an animal vibrates its eyes to follow a rotating grating around it. It has been widely used to assess the ...

Quantification of &gamma;H2AX Foci in Response to Ionising Radiation

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), which are induced by either endogenous metabolic processes or by exogenous sources, are one of the most critical DNA lesions with respect to survival and preservation of genomic integrity. An early response to the induction of DSBs is phosphorylation of the H2A histone variant, H2AX, at the serine-139 residue, in the highly conserved C-terminal SQEY motif, forming &gamma;H2AX1. Following induction of DSBs, H2AX is rapidly phosphorylated by the phosphatidyl-inosito 3-kinase (PIKK) family of proteins, ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM), DNA-protein kinase catalytic subunit and ATM and RAD3-related (ATR)2. Typically, only a few base-pairs (bp) are implicated in a DSB, however, there is significant signal amplification, given the importance of chromatin modifications in DNA damage signalling and repair. Phosphorylation of H2AX mediated predominantly by ATM spreads to adjacent areas of chromatin, affecting approximately 0.03% of total cellular H2AX per DSB2,3. This corresponds to phosphorylation of approximately 2000 H2AX molecules spanning ~2 Mbp regions of chromatin surrounding the site of the DSB and results in the formation of discrete &gamma;H2AX foci which can be easily visualized and quantitated by immunofluorescence microscopy2. The loss of &gamma;H2AX at DSB reflects repair, however, there is some controversy as to what defines complete repair of DSBs; it has been proposed that rejoining of both strands of DNA is adequate however, it has also been suggested that re-instatement of the original chromatin state of compaction is necessary4-8. The disappearence of &gamma;H2AX involves at least in part, dephosphorylation by phosphatases, phosphatase 2A and phosphatase 4C5,6. Further, removal of &gamma;H2AX by redistribution involving histone exchange with H2A.Z has been implicated7,8. Importantly, the quantitative analysis of &gamma;H2AX foci has led to a wide range of applications in medical and nuclear research. Here, we demonstrate the most commonly used immunofluorescence method for evaluation of initial DNA damage by detection and quantitation of &gamma;H2AX foci in &gamma;-irradiated adherent human keratinocytes9.

Quantification of &amp;#947;H2AX Foci in Response to Ionising Radiation

Quantification of DNA double-strand streaks using &gamma;H2AX formation as a molecular marker has become an invaluable tool in radiation biology. Here we demonstrate the use of an immunofluorescence assay for quantification of &gamma;H2AX foci after exposure of cells to radiation.

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), which are induced by either endogenous metabolic processes or by exogenous sources, are one of the most critical DNA ...

Measurement of Survival Time in Brachionus Rotifers: Synchronization of Maternal Conditions

Rotifers are microscopic cosmopolitan zooplankton used as models in ecotoxicological and aging studies due to their several advantages such as short lifespan, ease of culture, and parthenogenesis that enables clonal culture. However, caution is required when measuring their survival time as it is affected by maternal age and maternal feeding conditions. Here we provide a protocol for powerful and reproducible measurement of the survival time in Brachionus rotifers following a careful synchronization of culture conditions over several generations. Empirically, poor synchronization results in early mortality and a gradual decrease in survival rate, thus resulting in weak statistical power. Indeed, under such conditions, calorie restriction (CR) failed to significantly extend the lifespan of B. plicatilis although CR-induced longevity has been demonstrated with well-synchronized rotifer samples in past and present studies. This protocol is probably useful for other invertebrate models, including the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster and the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, because maternal age effects have also been reported in these species.

Measurement of Survival Time in Brachionus Rotifers: Synchronization of Maternal Conditions

Rotifers are microscopic zooplankton used as models in ecotoxicological and aging studies. Here we provide a protocol for powerful and reproducible measurement of survival time in Brachionus rotifers. Synchronization of culture conditions over several generations is of particular importance because maternal condition affects life history of offspring.

Rotifers are microscopic cosmopolitan zooplankton used as models in ecotoxicological and aging studies due to their several advantages such as short ...

Hydroponics: A Versatile System to Study Nutrient Allocation and Plant Responses to Nutrient Availability and Exposure to Toxic Elements

Hydroponic systems have been utilized as one of the standard methods for plant biology research and are also used in commercial production for several crops, including lettuce and tomato. Within the plant research community, numerous hydroponic systems have been designed to study plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Here we present a hydroponic protocol that can be easily implemented in laboratories interested in pursuing studies on plant mineral nutrition.
This protocol describes the hydroponic system set up in detail and the preparation of plant material for successful experiments. Most of the materials described in this protocol can be found outside scientific supply companies, making the set up for hydroponic experiments less expensive and convenient.
The use of a hydroponic growth system is most advantageous in situations where the nutrient media need to be well controlled and when intact roots need to be harvested for downstream applications. We also demonstrate how nutrient concentrations can be modified to induce plant responses to both essential nutrients and toxic non-essential elements.

Here, we present an easy-to-follow protocol to establish a successful hydroponic system for plant nutrition studies. This protocol has been extensively tested in Arabidopsis and can easily be adapted to other plant species to study specific nutritional requirements or the effect of non-essential elements on plant growth and development.

Hydroponic systems have been utilized as one of the standard methods for plant biology research and are also used in commercial production for several ...

Characterization of Calcification Events Using Live Optical and Electron Microscopy Techniques in a Marine Tubeworm

Characterizing the first event of biological production of calcium carbonate requires a combination of microscopy approaches. First, intracellular pH distribution and calcium ions can be observed using live microscopy over time. This allows identification of the life stage and the tissue with the feature of interest for further electron microscopy studies. Life stage and tissues of interest are typically higher in pH and Ca signals. 
Here, using H. elegans, we present a protocol to characterize the presence of calcium carbonate structures in a biological specimen on the scanning electron microscope (SEM), using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) to visualize elemental composition, using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) to determine the presence of crystalline structures, and using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to analyze the composition and structure of the material. In this protocol, a focused ion beam (FIB) is used to isolate samples with dimension suitable for TEM analysis. As FIB is a site specific technique, we demonstrate how information from the previous techniques can be used to identify the region of interest, where Ca signals are highest.

We demonstrate the use of various microscopy methods that are useful in observing the calcification of a tubeworm, Hydroides elegans, as well as locating and characterizing the first calcified material. Live microscopy and electron microscopy are used together to provide functional and material information that are important in studying biomineralization.

Characterizing the first event of biological production of calcium carbonate requires a combination of microscopy approaches. First, intracellular pH ...

Detection of Ligand-activated G Protein-coupled Receptor Internalization by Confocal Microscopy

Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) is an optical imaging technique for high-contrast imaging. It is a powerful approach to visualize fluorescent fusion proteins, such as green fluorescent protein (GFP), to determine their expression, localization, and function. The subcellular localization of target proteins is important for identification, characterization, and functional analyses. Internalization is one of the predominant mechanisms controlling G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling to ensure the appropriate cellular responses to stimuli. Here, we describe an experimental method to detect the subcellular localization and internalization of GPCR in HEK293 cells with confocal microscopy. In addition, this experiment provides some details about cell culture and transfection. This protocol is compatible with a variety of widely available fluorescent markers and is applicable to the visualization of the subcellular localization of a majority of proteins, as well as of the internalization of GPCR. This technique should enable researchers to efficiently manipulate GPCR gene expression in mammalian cell lines and should facilitate studies on GPCR subcellular localization and internalization.

This protocol describes confocal microscopy detection of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) internalization in mammalian cells. It includes the basic cell culture, transfection, and confocal microscopy procedure and provides an efficient and easily interpretable method to detect the subcellular localization and internalization of fusion-expressed GPCR.

Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) is an optical imaging technique for high-contrast imaging. It is a powerful approach to visualize fluorescent ...

Assessment of Dictyostelium discoideum Response to Acute Mechanical Stimulation

Chemotaxis, or migration up a gradient of a chemoattractant, is the best understood mode of directed migration. Studies using social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum revealed that a complex signal transduction network of parallel pathways amplifies the response to chemoattractants, and leads to biased actin polymerization and protrusion of a pseudopod in the direction of a gradient. In contrast, molecular mechanisms driving other types of directed migration, for example, due to exposure to shear flow or electric fields, are not known. Many regulators of chemotaxis exhibit localization at the leading or lagging edge of a migrating cell, as well as show transient changes in localization or activation following global stimulation with a chemoattractant. To understand the molecular mechanisms of other types of directed migration we developed a method that allows examination of cellular response to acute mechanical stimulation based on brief (2 - 5 s) exposure to shear flow. This stimulation can be delivered in a channel while imaging cells expressing fluorescently-labeled biosensors to examine individual cell behavior. Additionally, cell population can be stimulated in a plate, lysed, and immunoblotted using antibodies that recognize active versions of proteins of interest. By combining both assays, one can examine a wide array of molecules activated by changes in subcellular localization and/or phosphorylation. Using this method we determined that acute mechanical stimulation triggers activation of the chemotactic signal transduction and actin cytoskeleton networks. The ability to examine cellular responses to acute mechanical stimulation is important for understanding the initiating events necessary for shear flow-induced motility. This approach also provides a tool for studying the chemotactic signal transduction network without the confounding influence of the chemoattractant receptor.

Assessment of Dictyostelium discoideum Response to Acute Mechanical Stimulation

Here we describe methods for assessing cellular response to acute mechanical stimulation. In the microscopy-based assay, we examine localization of fluorescently-labeled biosensors following brief stimulation with shear flow. We also test activation of various proteins of interest in response to acute mechanical stimulation biochemically.

Chemotaxis, or migration up a gradient of a chemoattractant, is the best understood mode of directed migration. Studies using social amoeba Dictyostelium ...