This work was supported by a grant from the National Eye Institute (R01 EY12998) to F.H. Andrade.

1. Preparation of Buffers
<ol>
	<li>Turn on centrifuge 5804R and set to 4&deg;C. Turn on Isotemp 3006D water bath and set to 37&deg;C.</li>
	<li>Prepare the following solutions before muscle isolation:
	<ul>
		<li>PBS: Dissolve phosphate buffered saline (PBS) tablets in distilled water (5 tablets/liter). Mix well.</li>
		<li>PBS plus 10 mM EDTA: To prepare a 100 ml solution, add 2 ml of 500 mM EDTA to 98 ml of PBS.</li>
		<li>8X Mitochondria buffer: 10.28 g of sucrose for a final concentration of 0.6 M, 400 mg of free-fatty acid bovine serum albumin (BSA) for a final concentration of 0.8%, 2.08 g of HEPES for a final concentration of 160 mM, pH to 7.4 and QS to 50 ml with distilled water.</li>
		<li>Isolation Buffer 1 (IB1): Add 200 &mu;l of 500 mM EDTA for a final concentration of 10 mM, 0.392 g of D-mannitol for a final concentration of 215 mM, 1.25 ml of 8X mitochondria buffer, pH to 7.4 and QS to 10 ml with distilled water.</li>
		<li>Isolation Buffer 2 (IB2): Add 60 &mu;l of 500 mM EGTA for a final concentration of 3 mM, 0.392 g of D-mannitol for a final concentration of 215 mM, 1.25 ml of 8X mitochondria buffer, pH to 7.4 and QS to 10 ml with distilled water.</li>
		<li>Experimental Buffer (EB): Add 100 &mu;l of 500 mM MgCl2 for a final concentration of 5 mM, 0.392 g of D-mannitol for a final concentration of 215 mM, 25 &mu;l of 2.5 mM KH2PO4 for a final concentration of 6.25 &mu;M, 2 &mu;l of 100 mM EGTA for a final concentration of 20 &mu;M, 1.25 ml of mitochondrial buffer, pH to 7.4 and QS to 10 ml with distilled water.</li>
	</ul>
	</li>
</ol>
2. Muscle Isolation
<ol>
	<li>In an ice bucket, put three 10 ml beakers, Potter-Elvehjem tissue grinders and all other necessary instruments/supplies on ice. Everything must stay ice-cold throughout the experiment.</li>
	<li>Place IB1 and IB2 in ice bucket and EB in warm water bath when done.</li>
	<li>In the three 10 ml beakers, the following solutions should be added:
	<ul>
		<li>Beaker 1: 10 ml of PBS</li>
		<li>Beaker 2: 10 ml of PBS/EDTA</li>
		<li>Beaker 3: 3 ml of IB1</li>
	</ul>
	</li>
	<li>Kill a rat humanely as approved by your local Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.</li>
	<li>Rapidly isolate 250-500 mg of skeletal muscle, rinse in Beaker 1, then transfer to Beaker 2.</li>
</ol>
3. Homogenization/Mitochondrial Isolation
<ol>
	<li>Transfer muscle to Beaker 3 and finely mince the muscle with scissors.</li>
	<li>Transfer the solution to the Potter-Elvehjem homogenizer. Homogenize the muscle using a motorized pestle (a drill press will do the job) 10 times keeping the tube in ice at all times.</li>
	<li>Transfer homogenate to pre-chilled 2 ml microcentrifuge tubes and centrifuge at 700 g for 10 minutes at 4&deg; C.</li>
	<li>Transfer supernatant to a new pre-chilled microcentrifuge tube. Discard pellet.</li>
	<li>Centrifuge supernatant at 10,500 g for 10 minutes at 4&deg; C.</li>
	<li>Transfer supernatant to a new pre-chilled microcentrifuge tube and label SN1 (supernatant number 1) and muscle type.</li>
	<li>Re-suspend pellet in 500 &mu;l of IB2.</li>
	<li>Centrifuge at 10,500 g for 10 minutes at 4&deg; C.</li>
	<li>Transfer supernatant to a new pre-chilled microcentrifuge tube and label SN2 (supernatant number 2) and muscle type.</li>
	<li>Suspend final mitochondrial pellet in 100 &mu;l of IB2.</li>
	<li>Re-spin final mitochondrial suspension in minifuge for a few seconds. If there is a pellet, transfer supernatant to a new pre-chilled microcentrifuge tube and discard the pellet.</li>
	<li>Determine protein concentration using the Bradford assay 8.</li>
</ol>
4. Electrode Calibration
NOTE: Complete electrode calibration during mitochondrial isolation.
<ol>
	<li>Add 100 ml of distilled water to 250 ml flask. Stir vigorously for 20 minutes to equilibrate the water with atmospheric gas.</li>
	<li>Add a few drops of 50% KCl to the Oxygraph electrode.</li>
	<li>Place a small piece of Blue Rizla rolling paper on top of electrode.</li>
	<li>Place a piece of PTFE membrane on top of the rolling paper.</li>
	<li>Apply the inner ring using the ring applicator and then place the outer ring in the electrode groove.</li>
	<li>Connect electrodes and assemble the rest of the equipment: bigger plastic ring base, mitochondrial chamber, and water hoses.</li>
	<li>Turn on Oxygraph boxes and start Oxygraph software.</li>
	<li>Add the equilibrated water to mitochondrial chamber.</li>
	<li>Add stir bar and turn on to a speed of 60.</li>
	<li>Begin a new experiment.</li>
	<li>Click on calibrate and then liquid phase calibration for Box 1. Change temperature to 37&deg; C and click "OK" twice.</li>
	<li>When "Override" changes to "OK" click it and open the nitrogen gas tank.</li>
	<li>Place tip connected to nitrogen tank into chamber and establish zero oxygen. Click "OK" when it switches from "Override."</li>
	<li>Aspirate water and add 500 &mu;l of EB buffer to mitochondrial chambers.</li>
	<li>Seal chamber with plunger.</li>
	<li>If using multiple boxes, repeat steps 11-15 for calibration of Box 2.</li>
</ol>
5. Mitochondrial Respiration
<ol>
	<li>Start a new experiment; let it run for about 1 minute to stabilize signal.</li>
	<li>Add necessary volume of the mitochondrial suspension (step 3.11) for 150 &mu;g in each chamber, mark event, and let it run for 1 minute.</li>
	<li>Add 10 &mu;l of warm 250 mM/125 mM glutamate/malate for a final concentration of 5 mM/2.5 mM. Mark and let run for 1 minute. This is defined as State 2.</li>
	<li>Add 7.5 &mu;l of 10 mM ADP for a final concentration of 150 &mu;M, mark, and let run for 30 seconds. This is defined as State 3.</li>
	<li>Add another 7.5 &mu;l of 10 mM ADP, mark, and let run for 1.5 minutes.</li>
	<li>Add 0.5 &mu;l of cold 10 mM oligomycin for a final concentration of 1 &mu;M, mark, and let run for 3 minutes. This is defined as State 4.</li>
	<li>Add 1 &mu;l of cold 0.1 mM FCCP for a final concentration of 0.2 &mu;M, mark, and let run for 3 minutes. This is defined as State 5.</li>
	<li>When finished, end experiment and save.</li>
	<li>Acquire respiration rates using Oxygraph software.</li>
	<li>Enter normalization factor: if adding 150 &mu;g of mitochondrial protein, the normalization factor will be 0.15.</li>
	<li>Calculate normalized respiration rates for the different respiration states.</li>
	<li>Calculate the Respiratory Control Ratio (RCR) by dividing State 3 by State 4.</li>
</ol>
6. Representative Results:
<img src="/files/ftp_upload/2452/2452fig1.jpg" alt="Figure 1" /> 
Figure 1. shows a representative tracing of oxygen consumption by skeletal muscle mitochondria. After the electrode signal is stabilized, the mitochondria sample is added to the Oxygraph chamber. State 2 respiration starts with addition of glutamate and malate. Addition of ADP increases oxygen consumption, defining state 3 respiration. ATP synthase is blocked by addition of oligomycin to obtain state 4 respiration. Finally, FCCP is added to uncouple mitochondrial respiration (state 5). Table 1 shows representative oxygen consumption rates for states 2, 3, 4 and 5. The respiratory control ratio (RCR) is calculated for each experiment. RCR &ge;4 is considered as evidence of a viable mitochondria preparation.
<table border="1">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>States</td>
			<td>Normalized Rates</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>State 2</td>
			<td>34.74</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>State 3</td>
			<td>153.40</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>State 4</td>
			<td>16.49</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>State 5</td>
			<td>143.70</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>RCR</td>
			<td>9.30</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
Table 1. Mitochondrial respiration rates. Representativeoxygen consumption rates from skeletal muscle mitochondria. Values are normalized to the amount of mitochondria added to the chamber. The respiratory control ratio (RCR) is determined by dividing state 3 by state 4. An RCR&ge;4 represents a viable mitochondria preparation.

<ol>
	<li>Frezza, C., Cipolat, S., Scorrano, L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Organelle+isolation:+functional+mitochondria+from+mouse+liver,+muscle+and+cultured+fibroblasts.">Organelle isolation: functional mitochondria from mouse liver, muscle and cultured fibroblasts.</a> Nat Protoc. 2, 287-295 (2007).</li><li>Duchen, M. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Roles+of+mitochondria+in+health+and+disease.">Roles of mitochondria in health and disease.</a> Diabetes. 53, S96-S102 (2004).</li><li>Johannsen, D. L., Ravussin, E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+role+of+mitochondria+in+health+and+disease.">The role of mitochondria in health and disease.</a> Curr Opin Pharmacol. , (2009).</li><li>Pallotti, F., Lenaz, G. <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+subfractionation+of+mitochondria+from+animal+cells+and+tissue+culture+lines.">Isolation and subfractionation of mitochondria from animal cells and tissue culture lines.</a> Methods Cell Biol. 80, 3-44 (2007).</li><li>Pallotti, F., Lenaz, G. <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+subfractionation+of+mitochondria+from+animal+cells+and+tissue+culture+lines.">Isolation and subfractionation of mitochondria from animal cells and tissue culture lines.</a> Methods Cell Biol. 65, 1-35 (2001).</li><li>Gamboa, J. L., Andrade, F. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mitochondrial+content+and+distribution+changes+specific+to+mouse+diaphragm+after+chronic+normobaric+hypoxia.">Mitochondrial content and distribution changes specific to mouse diaphragm after chronic normobaric hypoxia.</a> Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. , (2009).</li><li>Patel, S. P., Gamboa, J. L., McMullen, C. A., Rabchevsky, A., Andrade, F. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Lower+respiratory+capacity+in+extraocular+muscle+mitochondria:+evidence+for+intrinsic+differences+in+mitochondrial+composition+and+function.">Lower respiratory capacity in extraocular muscle mitochondria: evidence for intrinsic differences in mitochondrial composition and function.</a> Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 50, 180-186 (2009).</li><li>Bradford, M. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+rapid+and+sensitive+method+for+the+quantitation+of+microgram+quantities+of+protein+utilizing+the+principle+of+protein-dye+binding.">A rapid and sensitive method for the quantitation of microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principle of protein-dye binding.</a> Anal Biochem. 72, 248-254 (1976).</li></ol>

No conflicts of interest declared.

We present a protocol to isolate viable mitochondria from skeletal muscles. If yield is a problem, the protocol can be modified by incubating the isolated muscle in 5 ml of PBS/10mM EDTA/0.01% trypsin for 30 minutes in ice. To assure complete muscle digestion with trypsin, the muscle needs to be fully minced. After the 30-minute incubation, the PBS/10mM EDTA/0.01% trypsin solution must be completely replaced with 3 ml of isolation buffer 1 (IB1). In addition, the use of trypsin may interfere with some mitochondrial substrates during the respiration protocol. All the substrates used in this protocol result in good mitochondrial preparations when using trypsin.
For mouse skeletal muscles, it is best to combine the gastrocnemius muscles from both legs, or use the whole diaphragm. For rat skeletal muscles, a small section of gastrocnemius or diaphragm is sufficient. Excessive muscle mass can complicate the isolation procedure and result in lower yields. For isolation of very small muscles such as the extraocular muscles, it is necessary to pool muscles from more than 1 animal to obtain the necessary muscle mass.
This protocol refers to two different supernatants: SN1 and SN2. These supernatants are the result of differential centrifugation and contain non-mitochondrial proteins. Proteins from these supernatants and from the final mitochondrial pellet can be used in western blots to verify the purity of the mitochondrial preparation. Western blots using mitochondrial and cytoplasmic antibodies confirm the purity of your mitochondrial preparation in the final pellet.
Cleaning the mitochondrial respiration equipment is critical for a successful experiment. After each experiment, the chambers must be cleaned thoroughly as follows: rinse chambers five times with distilled water, rinse once with 70% ethanol to remove ethanol-soluble substrates, rinse with a saturated solution of PBS/BSA for about 5 minutes, finally, rinse chambers 5 times with distilled water. Clark-type electrodes must be properly cleaned after every use by rinsing several times with distilled water and softly scrubbed with a toothbrush. Then, they must be completely dried with lent-free wipes and stored in a desiccator. Once a week, the electrodes should be polished using the Oxygraph polishing kit.
Mitochondrial substrates are prepared as stock solutions, aliquoted and stored at -20o C. We do not recommend the re-use of substrates. In our experience, most of the substrates are stable at -20o C for several months, except for oligomycin that must be replaced every 2 months or so. Always refer to the manufacturer's specifications for more details.
Finally, this protocol can also be used to isolate mitochondria from heart. As for other muscles, the size of the animal (rat vs. mouse) will determine what fraction of the organ is necessary to obtain sufficient mitochondria.

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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>95% CO2 / 5% O2 mix</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Local gas company</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Adenosine 5&#x2032;-diphosphate sodium salt</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Sigma</td>
<td>A2754</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Blue Rizla Paper</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Hansatech</td>
<td>890101</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Bradford protein assay</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Bio-Rad</td>
<td>500-0006</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Carbonylcyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone (FCCP)</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Sigma</td>
<td>C2920</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Centrifuge 5804R</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Eppendorf</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Compressed nitrogen</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Local gas company</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>D-mannitol</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Sigma</td>
<td>M9647</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Ethlyene-glycol-bis-tetraacetic acid (EGTA)</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Sigma</td>
<td>E3889</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Bio-Rad</td>
<td>161-0728</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Free fatty acid bovine serum albumin</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Sigma</td>
<td>A8806</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Glutamic acid</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Sigma</td>
<td>G5889</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>HEPES sodium salt</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Sigma</td>
<td>H7006</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Isotemp 3006D</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Magnesium chloride</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Sigma</td>
<td>M8266</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Male Sprague Dawley Rats</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Harlan</td>
<td>300-500g</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Malic acid</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Sigma</td>
<td>M9138</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Minifuge</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>ISC Bioexpress</td>
<td>C1301P</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Oligomycin</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Sigma</td>
<td>O4876</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Oxygen electrode disc</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Hansatech</td>
<td>S1</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Oxygraph</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Hansatech</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Oxygraph Plus V1.01 Software</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Hansatech</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>pH-meter</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Mettler Toledo</td>
<td>1225506149</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Sigma</td>
<td>P4417</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Potassium chloride</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Sigma</td>
<td>P3911</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Potassium phosphate</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Sigma</td>
<td>P8416</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Potter-Elvehjem homogenizers</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Fisher</td>
<td>08-414-14A</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>PTFE (0.0125mm &#215; 25mm) membrane</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Hansatech</td>
<td>S4</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>SKIL 3320 drill press</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Hardware store</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Sucrose</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>Sigma</td>
<td>S5016</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>		</tbody>
		</table>
		</div>

mitochondrial isolation from skeletal muscle

Mitochondria are organelles controlling the life and death of the cell. They participate in key metabolic reactions, synthesize most of the ATP, and regulate a number of signaling cascades2,3. Past and current researchers have isolated mitochondria from rat and mice tissues such as liver, brain and heart4,5. In recent years, many researchers have focused on studying mitochondrial function from skeletal muscles.
Here, we describe a method that we have used successfully for the isolation of mitochondria from skeletal muscles 6. Our procedure requires that all buffers and reagents are made fresh and need about 250-500 mg of skeletal muscle. We studied mitochondria isolated from rat and mouse gastrocnemius and diaphragm, and rat extraocular muscles. Mitochondrial protein concentration is measured with the Bradford assay. It is important that mitochondrial samples be kept ice-cold during preparation and that functional studies be performed within a relatively short time (~1 hr). Mitochondrial respiration is measured using polarography with a Clark-type electrode (Oxygraph system) at 37&deg;C7. Calibration of the oxygen electrode is a key step in this protocol and it must be performed daily. Isolated mitochondria (150 &mu;g) are added to 0.5 ml of experimental buffer (EB). State 2 respiration starts with addition of glutamate (5mM) and malate (2.5 mM). Then, adenosine diphosphate (ADP) (150 &mu;M) is added to start state 3. Oligomycin (1 &mu;M), an ATPase synthase blocker, is used to estimate state 4. Lastly, carbonyl cyanide p-[trifluoromethoxy]-phenyl-hydrazone (FCCP, 0.2 &mu;M) is added to measurestate 5, or uncoupled respiration 6. The respiratory control ratio (RCR), the ratio of state 3 to state 4, is calculated after each experiment. An RCR &ge;4 is considered as evidence of a viable mitochondria preparation.
In summary, we present a method for the isolation of viable mitochondria from skeletal muscles that can be used in biochemical (e.g., enzyme activity, immunodetection, proteomics) and functional studies (mitochondrial respiration).

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Mitochondrial Isolation from Skeletal Muscle at JoVE.com

Mitochondrial Isolation from Skeletal Muscle

This protocol describes a procedure to study the respiration of mitochondria isolated from skeletal muscles. This method was adapted from Scorrano et al. (2007). The mitochondrial isolation procedure requires about 2 hours. The mitochondrial respiration can be completed in about 1 hour.

Mitochondria are organelles controlling the life and death of the cell. They participate in key metabolic reactions, synthesize most of the ATP, and ...

mitochondrial-isolation-from-skeletal-muscle

Nanyang Technological University

Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

28.8K Views.  University of Kentucky. This protocol describes a procedure to study the respiration of mitochondria isolated from skeletal muscles. This method was adapted from Scorrano et al. (2007). The mitochondrial isolation procedure requires about 2 hours. The mitochondrial respiration can be completed in about 1 hour.

Video: Mitochondrial Isolation from Skeletal Muscle

Adult and Embryonic Skeletal Muscle Microexplant Culture and Isolation of Skeletal Muscle Stem Cells

Cultured embryonic and adult skeletal muscle cells have a number of different uses. The micro-dissected explants technique described in this chapter is a robust and reliable method for isolating relatively large numbers of proliferative skeletal muscle cells from juvenile, adult or embryonic muscles as a source of skeletal muscle stem cells. The authors have used micro-dissected explant cultures to analyse the growth characteristics of skeletal muscle cells in wild-type and dystrophic muscles. Each of the components of tissue growth, namely cell survival, proliferation, senescence and differentiation can be analysed separately using the methods described here. The net effect of all components of growth can be established by means of measuring explant outgrowth rates. The micro-explant method can be used to establish primary cultures from a wide range of different muscle types and ages and, as described here, has been adapted by the authors to enable the isolation of embryonic skeletal muscle precursors.
Uniquely, micro-explant cultures have been used to derive clonal (single cell origin) skeletal muscle stem cell (SMSc) lines which can be expanded and used for in vivo transplantation. In vivo transplanted SMSc behave as functional, tissue-specific, satellite cells which contribute to skeletal muscle fibre regeneration but which are also retained (in the satellite cell niche) as a small pool of undifferentiated stem cells which can be re-isolated into culture using the micro-explant method.

The micro-dissected explants technique is a robust and reliable method for isolating proliferative skeletal muscle cells from juvenile, adult or embryonic muscles as a source of skeletal muscle stem cells. Uniquely, these cells have been clonally derived to produce skeletal muscle stem cell lines used for in vivo transplantation.

Cultured embryonic and adult skeletal muscle cells have a number of different uses. The micro-dissected explants technique described in this chapter is a ...

Purification of Progenitors from Skeletal Muscle

Skeletal muscle contains multiple progenitor populations of distinct embryonic origins and developmental potential. Myogenic progenitors, usually residing in a "satellite cell position" between the myofiber plasma membrane and the laminin-rich basement membrane that ensheaths it, are self-renewing cells that are solely committed to the myogenic lineage1,2. We have recently described a second class of vessel associated progenitors that can generate myofibroblasts and white adipocytes, which responds to damage by efficiently entering proliferation and provides trophic support to myogenic cells during tissue regeneration3,4. One of the most trusted assays to determine the developmental and regenerative potential of a given cell population relies on their isolation and transplantation5-7. To this end we have optimized protocols for their purification by flow cytometry from enzymatically dissociated muscle, which we will outline in this article. The populations obtained using this method will contain either myogenic or fibro/adipogenic colony forming cells: no other cell types are capable of expanding in vitro or surviving in vivo delivery. However, when these populations are used immediately after the sort for molecular analysis (e.g qRT-PCR) one must keep in mind that the freshly sorted subsets may contain other contaminant cells that lack the ability of forming colonies or engrafting recipients.

Method for the enzymatic dissociation, surface labeling and purification by flow cytometry of fibro/adipogenic and myogenic progenitors from murine skeletal muscle.

Skeletal muscle contains multiple progenitor populations of distinct embryonic origins and developmental potential. Myogenic progenitors, usually residing ...

Isolation and Culture of Individual Myofibers and their Satellite Cells from Adult Skeletal Muscle

Muscle regeneration in the adult is performed by resident stem cells called satellite cells. Satellite cells are defined by their position between the basal lamina and the sarcolemma of each myofiber. Current knowledge of their behavior heavily relies on the use of the single myofiber isolation protocol. In 1985, Bischoff described a protocol to isolate single live fibers from the Flexor Digitorum Brevis (FDB) of adult rats with the goal to create an in vitro system in which the physical association between the myofiber and its stem cells is preserved 1. In 1995, Rosenblattmodified the Bischoff protocol such that myofibers are singly picked and handled separately after collagenase digestion instead of being isolated by gravity sedimentation 2, 3. The Rosenblatt or Bischoff protocol has since been adapted to different muscles, age or conditions 3-6. The single myofiber isolation technique is an indispensable tool due its unique advantages. First, in the single myofiber protocol, satellite cells are maintained beneath the basal lamina. This is a unique feature of the protocol as other techniques such as Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting require chemical and mechanical tissue dissociation 7. Although the myofiber culture system cannot substitute for in vivo studies, it does offer an excellent platform to address relevant biological properties of muscle stem cells. Single myofibers can be cultured in standard plating conditions or in floating conditions. Satellite cells on floating myofibers are subjected to virtually no other influence than the myofiber environment. Substrate stiffness and coating have been shown to influence satellite cells' ability to regenerate muscles 8, 9 so being able to control each of these factors independently allows discrimination between niche-dependent and -independent responses. Different concentrations of serum have also been shown to have an effect on the transition from quiescence to activation. To preserve the quiescence state of its associated satellite cells, fibers should be kept in low serum medium 1-3. This is particularly useful when studying genes involved in the quiescence state. In serum rich medium, satellite cells quickly activate, proliferate, migrate and differentiate, thus mimicking the in vivo regenerative process 1-3. The system can be used to perform a variety of assays such as the testing of chemical inhibitors; ectopic expression of genes by virus delivery; oligonucleotide based gene knock-down or live imaging. This video article describes the protocol currently used in our laboratory to isolate single myofibers from the Extensor Digitorum Longus (EDL) muscle of adult mice (6-8 weeks old).

Isolation and culture of myofibers is the gold standard in vitro system to study the transition of satellite cells through quiescence, activation and differentiation. Importantly, the single myofiber culture system preserves the myofiber/stem cell association, which is an essential component of the muscle stem cell niche.

Muscle  regeneration in the adult is performed by resident stem cells called satellite  cells. Satellite cells are defined by  their position between the ...

Isolation of Blood-vessel-derived Multipotent Precursors from Human Skeletal Muscle

Since the discovery of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs), the native identity and localization&#160;of MSCs have been obscured by their retrospective isolation in culture. Recently, using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), we and other researchers prospectively identified and purified three subpopulations of multipotent precursor cells associated with the vasculature of human skeletal muscle. These three cell populations: myogenic endothelial cells (MECs), pericytes (PCs), and adventitial cells (ACs), are localized respectively to the three structural layers of blood vessels: intima, media, and adventitia. All of these human blood-vessel-derived stem cell (hBVSC) populations not only express classic MSC markers but also possess mesodermal developmental potentials similar to typical MSCs. Previously, MECs, PCs, and ACs have been isolated through distinct protocols and subsequently characterized in separate studies. The current isolation protocol, through modifications to the isolation process and adjustments in the selective cell surface markers, allows us to simultaneously purify all three hBVSC subpopulations by FACS from a single human muscle biopsy. This new method will not only streamline the isolation of multiple BVSC subpopulations but also facilitate future clinical applications of hBVSCs for distinct therapeutic purposes.

Blood vessels within human skeletal muscle harbor several multi-lineage precursor populations that are ideal for regenerative applications. This isolation method allows simultaneous purification of three multipotent precursor cell populations respectively from three structural layers of blood vessels: myogenic endothelial cells from intima, pericytes from media, and adventitial cells from adventitia.

Since the discovery of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs), the native identity and localization&#160;of MSCs have been obscured by their retrospective ...

Isolation of Mitochondria from Minimal Quantities of Mouse Skeletal Muscle for High Throughput Microplate Respiratory Measurements

Dysfunctional skeletal muscle mitochondria play a role in altered metabolism observed with aging, obesity and Type II diabetes. Mitochondrial respirometric assays from isolated mitochondrial preparations allow for the assessment of mitochondrial function, as well as determination of the mechanism(s) of action of drugs and proteins that modulate metabolism. Current isolation procedures often require large quantities of tissue to yield high quality mitochondria necessary for respirometric assays. The methods presented herein describe how high quality purified mitochondria (~ 450 &#181;g) can be isolated from minimal quantities (~75-100 mg) of mouse skeletal muscle for use in high throughput respiratory measurements. We determined that our isolation method yields 92.5&#177; 2.0% intact mitochondria by measuring citrate synthase activity spectrophotometrically. In addition, Western blot analysis in isolated mitochondria resulted in the faint expression of the cytosolic protein, GAPDH, and the robust expression of the mitochondrial protein, COXIV. The absence of a prominent GAPDH band in the isolated mitochondria is indicative of little contamination from non-mitochondrial sources during the isolation procedure. Most importantly, the measurement of O2 consumption rate with micro-plate based technology and determining the respiratory control ratio (RCR) for coupled respirometric assays shows highly coupled (RCR; &#62;6 for all assays) and functional mitochondria. In conclusion, the addition of a separate mincing step and significantly reducing motor driven homogenization speed of a previously reported method has allowed the isolation of high quality and purified mitochondria from smaller quantities of mouse skeletal muscle that results in highly coupled mitochondria that respire with high function during microplate based respirometirc assays.

Here, we present a modification of a previously reported method that allows for the isolation of high quality and purified mitochondria from smaller quantities of mouse skeletal muscle. This procedure results in highly coupled mitochondria that respire with high function during microplate based respirometirc assays.

Dysfunctional skeletal muscle mitochondria play a role in altered metabolism observed with aging, obesity and Type II diabetes. Mitochondrial ...

Isolation of Intact Mitochondria from Skeletal Muscle by Differential Centrifugation for High-resolution Respirometry Measurements

Mitochondria are involved in cellular energy metabolism and use oxygen to produce energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Differential centrifugation at low- and high-speed is commonly used to isolate mitochondria from tissues and cultured cells. Crude mitochondrial fractions obtained by differential centrifugation are used for respirometry measurements. The differential centrifugation technique is based on the separation of organelles according to their size and sedimentation velocity. The isolation of mitochondria is performed immediately after tissue harvesting. The tissue is immersed in an ice-cold homogenization medium, minced using scissors and homogenized in a glass homogenizer with a loose-fitting pestle. The differential centrifugation technique is efficient, fast and inexpensive and the mitochondria obtained by differential centrifugation are pure enough for respirometry assays. Some of the limitations and disadvantages of isolated mitochondria, based on differential centrifugation, are that the mitochondria can be damaged during the homogenization and isolation procedure and that large amounts of the tissue biopsy or cultured cells are required for the mitochondrial isolation.

Here, a quadriceps muscle specimen is taken from an anaesthetized pig and mitochondria are isolated by differential centrifugation. Then, the respiratory rates of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes I, II and IV are determined using high-resolution respirometry.

Mitochondria are involved in cellular energy metabolism and use oxygen to produce energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Differential ...

Isolation and Characterization of Exosomes from Skeletal Muscle Fibroblasts

Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles released by virtually all cells and secreted in all biological fluids. Many methods have been developed for the isolation of these vesicles, including ultracentrifugation, ultrafiltration, and size exclusion chromatography. However, not all are suitable for large scale exosome purification and characterization. Outlined here is a protocol for establishing cultures of primary fibroblasts isolated from adult mouse skeletal muscles, followed by purification and characterization of exosomes from the culture media of these cells. The method is based on the use of sequential centrifugation steps followed by sucrose density gradients. Purity of the exosomal preparations is then validated by western blot analyses using a battery of canonical markers (i.e., Alix, CD9, and CD81). The protocol describes how to isolate and concentrate bioactive exosomes for electron microscopy, mass spectrometry, and uptake experiments for functional studies. It can easily be scaled up or down and adapted for exosome isolation from different cell types, tissues, and biological fluids.

This protocol illustrates the 1) the isolation and culture of primary fibroblasts from the adult mouse gastrocnemius muscle as well as 2) purification and characterization of exosomes using a differential ultracentrifugation method combined with sucrose density gradients followed by western blot analyses.

Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles released by virtually all cells and secreted in all biological fluids. Many methods have been developed for the ...

Isolation of Human Ventricular Cardiomyocytes from Vibratome-Cut Myocardial Slices

The isolation of ventricular cardiac myocytes from animal and human hearts is a fundamental method in cardiac research. Animal cardiomyocytes are commonly isolated by coronary perfusion with digestive enzymes. However, isolating human cardiomyocytes is challenging because human myocardial specimens usually do not allow for coronary perfusion, and alternative isolation protocols result in poor yields of viable cells. In addition, human myocardial specimens are rare and only regularly available at institutions with on-site cardiac surgery. This hampers the translation of findings from animal to human cardiomyocytes. Described here is a reliable protocol that enables efficient isolation of ventricular myocytes from human and animal myocardium. To increase the surface-to-volume ratio while minimizing cell damage, myocardial tissue slices 300 &#181;m thick are generated from myocardial specimens with a vibratome. Tissue slices are then digested with protease and collagenase. Rat myocardium was used to establish the protocol and quantify yields of viable, calcium-tolerant myocytes by flow-cytometric cell counting. Comparison with the commonly used tissue-chunk method showed significantly higher yields of rod-shaped cardiomyocytes (41.5 &#177; 11.9 vs. 7.89 &#177; 3.6%, p &#60; 0.05). The protocol was translated to failing and non-failing human myocardium, where yields were similar as in rat myocardium and, again, markedly higher than with the tissue-chunk method (45.0 &#177; 15.0 vs. 6.87 &#177; 5.23 cells/mg, p &#60; 0.05). Notably, with the protocol presented it is possible to isolate reasonable numbers of viable human cardiomyocytes (9&#8211;200 cells/mg) from minimal amounts of tissue (&#60;50 mg). Thus, the method is applicable to healthy and failing myocardium from both human and animal hearts. Furthermore, it is possible to isolate excitable and contractile myocytes from human tissue specimens stored for up to 36 h in cold cardioplegic solution, rendering the method particularly useful for laboratories at institutions without on-site cardiac surgery.

Presented is a protocol for the isolation of human and animal ventricular cardiomyocytes from vibratome-cut myocardial slices. High yields of calcium-tolerant cells (up to 200 cells/mg) can be obtained from small amounts of tissue (&#60;50 mg). The protocol is applicable to myocardium exposed to cold ischemia for up to 36 h.

The isolation of ventricular cardiac myocytes from animal and human hearts is a fundamental method in cardiac research. Animal cardiomyocytes are commonly ...

Isolation of Mitochondria from Mouse Skeletal Muscle for Respirometric Assays

Most of the cell&#39;s energy is obtained through the degradation of glucose, fatty acids, and amino acids by different pathways that converge on the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) system, which is regulated in response to cellular demands. The lipid molecule Coenzyme Q (CoQ) is essential in this process by transferring electrons to complex III in the electron transport chain (ETC) through constant oxidation/reduction cycles. Mitochondria status and, ultimately, cellular health can be assessed by measuring ETC oxygen consumption using respirometric assays. These studies are typically performed in established or primary cell lines that have been cultured for several days. In both cases, the respiration parameters obtained may have deviated from normal physiological conditions in&#160;any given organ or tissue.
Additionally, the intrinsic characteristics of cultured single fibers isolated from skeletal muscle impede this type of analysis. This paper presents an updated and detailed protocol for the analysis of respiration in freshly isolated mitochondria from mouse skeletal muscle. We also provide solutions to potential problems that could arise at any step of the process. The method presented here could be applied to compare oxygen consumption rates in diverse transgenic mouse models and study the mitochondrial response to drug treatments or other factors such as aging or sex. This is a feasible method to respond to crucial questions about mitochondrial bioenergetics metabolism and regulation.

Here, we describe a detailed method for mitochondria isolation from mouse skeletal muscle and the subsequent analysis of respiration by Oxygen Consumption Rate (OCR) using microplate-based respirometric assays. This pipeline can be applied to study the effects of multiple environmental or genetic interventions on mitochondrial metabolism.

Most of the cell&#39;s energy is obtained through the degradation of glucose, fatty acids, and amino acids by different pathways that converge on the ...

Electroporation of Plasmid DNA into Mouse Skeletal Muscle

Transient gene expression modulation in murine skeletal muscle by plasmid electroporation is a useful tool for assessing normal and pathological physiology. Overexpression or knockdown of target genes enables investigators to manipulate individual molecular events and, thus, better understand the mechanisms that impact muscle mass, muscle metabolism, and contractility. In addition, electroporation of DNA plasmids that encode fluorescent tags allows investigators to measure changes in subcellular localization of proteins in skeletal muscle in vivo. A key functional assessment of skeletal muscle includes the measurement of muscle contractility. In this protocol, we demonstrate that whole muscle contractility studies are still possible after plasmid DNA injection, electroporation, and gene expression modulation. The goal of this instructional procedure is to demonstrate the step-by-step method of DNA plasmid electroporation into mouse skeletal muscle to facilitate uptake and expression in the myofibers of the tibialis anterior and extensor digitorum longus muscles, as well as to demonstrate that skeletal muscle contractility is not compromised by injection and electroporation.

Electroporation of plasmid DNA into skeletal muscle is a viable method to modulate gene expression without compromising muscle contractility in mice.