The authors thank the Research Flow Cytometry Core at Cincinnati Children&#8217;s Hospital Research Foundation and Richard Demarco, Sherree Friend, and Scott Mordecai from the Amnis Corporation (part of EMD Milllipore) for expert technical support. This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health grants K08HL088126 and R01HL116352 (T.A.K.) and P30 DK090971 (Y.Z.).

1. Long-term In vitro Erythropoiesis Culture (Ex vivo Erythroid Differentiation Culture Protocol by Giarratana et al.8, Modified and Adapted for Mouse Cells)
This is a 3-step long-term in vitro erythropoiesis protocol. In the first step (days 0-4) 2 x 105 cells/ml are placed in erythroblast growth medium supplemented with stem cell factor (SCF), interleukin-3 (IL-3), and erythropoietin (Epo). In the second step (days 5-6), cells are resus...

<ol>
	<li>McGrath, K. E., Kingsley, P. D., Koniski, A. D., Porter, R. L., Bushnell, T. P., Palis, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Enucleation+of+primitive+erythroid+cells+generates+a+transient+population+of+&amp;#34;pyrenocytes&amp;#34;+in+the+mammalian+fetus.">Enucleation of primitive erythroid cells generates a transient population of &amp;#34;pyrenocytes&amp;#34; in the mammalian fetus.</a> Blood. 111, 2409-2417 (2008).</li><li>Chasis, J. A., Mohandas, N. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Erythroblastic+islands:+niches+for+erythropoiesis.">Erythroblastic islands: niches for erythropoiesis.</a> Blood. 112, 470-478 (2008).</li><li>Koury, S. T., Koury, M. J., Bondurant, M. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cytoskeletal+distribution+and+function+during+the+maturation+and+enucleation+of+mammalian+erythroblasts.">Cytoskeletal distribution and function during the maturation and enucleation of mammalian erythroblasts.</a> J Cell Biol. 109, 3005-3013 (1989).</li><li>Ji, P., Jayapal, S. R., Lodish, H. F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Enucleation+of+cultured+mouse+fetal+erythroblasts+requires+Rac+GTPases+and+mDia2.">Enucleation of cultured mouse fetal erythroblasts requires Rac GTPases and mDia2.</a> Nat Cell Biol. 10, 314-321 (2008).</li><li>Keerthivasan, G., Small, S., Liu, H., Wickrema, A., Crispino, J. D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Vesicle+trafficking+plays+a+novel+role+in+erythroblast+enucleation.">Vesicle trafficking plays a novel role in erythroblast enucleation.</a> Blood. 116, 3331-3340 (2010).</li><li>McGrath, K. E., Bushnell, T. P., Palis, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Multispectral+imaging+of+hematopoietic+cells:+where+flow+meets+morphology.">Multispectral imaging of hematopoietic cells: where flow meets morphology.</a> J Immunol Methods. 336, 91-97 (2008).</li><li>Konstantinidis, D. G., 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=Signaling+and+cytoskeletal+requirements+in+erythroblast+enucleation.">Signaling and cytoskeletal requirements in erythroblast enucleation.</a> Blood. 119, 6118-6127 (2012).</li><li>Giarratana, M. 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=Ex+vivo+generation+of+fully+mature+human+red+blood+cells+from+hematopoietic+stem+cells.">Ex vivo generation of fully mature human red blood cells from hematopoietic stem cells.</a> Nat Biotechnol. 23, 69-74 (2005).</li><li>Chen, K., Liu, J., Heck, S., Chasis, J. A., An, X., Mohandas, N. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Resolving+the+distinct+stages+in+erythroid+differentiation+based+on+dynamic+changes+in+membrane+protein+expression+during+erythropoiesis.">Resolving the distinct stages in erythroid differentiation based on dynamic changes in membrane protein expression during erythropoiesis.</a> Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. , (2009).</li><li>Kalfa, T. 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=Rac1+and+Rac2+GTPases+are+necessary+for+early+erythropoietic+expansion+in+the+bone+marrow+but+not+in+the+spleen.">Rac1 and Rac2 GTPases are necessary for early erythropoietic expansion in the bone marrow but not in the spleen.</a> Haematologica. 95, 27-35 (2010).</li><li>Koulnis, M., Pop, R., Porpiglia, E., Shearstone, J. R., Hidalgo, D., Socolovsky, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Identification+and+analysis+of+mouse+erythroid+progenitors+using+the+CD71/TER119+flow-cytometric+assay.">Identification and analysis of mouse erythroid progenitors using the CD71/TER119 flow-cytometric assay.</a> J Vis Exp. , (2011).</li><li>Yoshida, H., Kawane, K., Koike, M., Mori, Y., Uchiyama, Y., Nagata, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Phosphatidylserine-dependent+engulfment+by+macrophages+of+nuclei+from+erythroid+precursor+cells.">Phosphatidylserine-dependent engulfment by macrophages of nuclei from erythroid precursor cells.</a> Nature. 437, 754-758 (2005).</li><li>Ortyn, W. E., 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=Sensitivity+measurement+and+compensation+in+spectral+imaging.">Sensitivity measurement and compensation in spectral imaging.</a> Cytometry A. 69, 852-862 (2006).</li></ol>

In recent years the study of erythroblast enucleation has gained increasing momentum&#160;since it is the step in in vitro erythropoiesis cultures that is most difficult to reproduce efficiently in order to achieve successful, large-scale production of red blood cells ex vivo.&#160;Up until recently, the study of erythroblast enucleation utilized mainly fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry methods.&#160;Fluorescence microscopy methods, albeit helpful in identifying participating molecules, require...

Terminal differentiation within the erythroid lineage in mammals concludes with the dramatic process of enucleation, through which the orthochromatic erythroblast expels its membrane-encased nucleus (pyrenocyte)1, generating a reticulocyte2. The exact mechanism of this process, which is also the rate-limiting step of successful, large-scale, production of red blood cells in vitro, is not yet fully elucidated. The localization of key proteins and structures within enucleating erythroblasts relies on the use of fluorescent and electron microscopy3-5. This tedious process typically results in the identification of a limited number of enucleation events and does not always allow meaningful statistical analysis. Expanding on a method of erythroblast identification described previously by McGrath et al.6, we have developed a novel approach of identifying and studying enucleation events by Multi-Spectral Imaging Flow Cytometry (multiparameter high-speed cell imaging in flow, a method that combines fluorescent microscopy with flow cytometry)7, which can provide a sufficient number of observations to obtain measurements and perform statistical analysis.
Here, we describe first two in vitro erythropoiesis culture methods used in order to synchronize erythroblasts and increase the probability of capturing enucleation at the time of evaluation. Then we describe in detail the staining of erythroblasts after fixation and permeabilization in order to study the localization of intracellular proteins or lipid rafts during enucleation by multi-spectral imaging flow cytometry.
Samples are run on an imaging flow cytometer and the collected cells are gated appropriately to identify orthochromatic erythroblasts6. Orthochromatic erythroblasts are then analyzed based on their aspect ratio, as measured in brightfield imaging, versus their value for the parameter delta centroid XY Ter119-DNA, which is defined as the distance between the centers of the areas stained for Ter119 and DNA, respectively. The population of cells with low aspect ratio and high delta centroid XY Ter119/DNA is highly enriched in enucleating cells.&#160;Using wild-type (WT) erythroblasts versus erythroblasts with Mx-Cre mediated conditional deletion of Rac1 on Rac2-/- or combined Rac2-/-; Rac3-/- genetic background and this novel analysis protocol of multi-spectral imaging flow cytometry, we recently demonstrated that enucleation resembles asymmetric cytokinesis and that the formation of an actomyosin ring regulated in part by Rac GTPases is important for enucleation progression7.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="934">
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	</tbody>
</table>

identification of a murine erythroblast subpopulation  enriched in enucleating events by multi-spectral imaging flow cytometry

Erythropoiesis in mammals concludes with the dramatic process of enucleation that results in reticulocyte formation. The mechanism of enucleation has not yet been fully elucidated. A common problem encountered when studying the localization of key proteins and structures within enucleating erythroblasts by microscopy is the difficulty to observe a sufficient number of cells undergoing enucleation.&#160;We have developed a novel analysis protocol using multiparameter high-speed cell imaging in flow (Multi-Spectral Imaging Flow Cytometry), a method that combines immunofluorescent microscopy with flow cytometry, in order to identify efficiently a significant number of enucleating events, that allows to obtain measurements and perform statistical analysis.
We first describe here two in vitro erythropoiesis culture methods used in order to synchronize murine erythroblasts and increase the probability of capturing enucleation at the time of evaluation.&#160;Then, we describe in detail the staining of erythroblasts after fixation and permeabilization in order to study the localization of intracellular proteins or lipid rafts during enucleation by multi-spectral imaging flow cytometry.&#160;Along with size and DNA/Ter119 staining which are used to identify the orthochromatic erythroblasts, we utilize the parameters &#8220;aspect ratio&#8221; of a cell in the bright-field channel that aids in the recognition of elongated cells and &#8220;delta centroid XY Ter119/Draq5&#8221; that allows the identification of cellular events in which the center of Ter119 staining (nascent reticulocyte) is far apart from the center of Draq5 staining (nucleus undergoing extrusion), thus indicating a cell about to enucleate.&#160;The subset of the orthochromatic erythroblast population with high delta centroid and low aspect ratio is highly enriched in enucleating cells.

First, cells are analyzed based on their Brightfield Aspect Ratio (the ratio of the length of their minor versus their major axis) and their Brightfield Area (indicative of their size). Events with a Brightfield Area value lower than 20 and higher than 200 are mostly debris and cell aggregates, respectively, and are excluded from the analysis (Figure 2A). Single cells (gate &#8220;R1&#8221;) are then analyzed based on their value for the Gradient RMS parameter, which indicates sharpness of image. Gate &#...

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Identification of a Murine Erythroblast Subpopulation  Enriched in Enucleating Events by Multi-spectral Imaging Flow Cytometry

The present protocol describes a novel method of identifying a population of enucleating orthochromatic erythroblasts by multi-spectral imaging flow cytometry, providing a visualization of the erythroblast enucleation process.

Erythropoiesis in mammals concludes with the dramatic process of enucleation that results in reticulocyte formation. The mechanism of enucleation has not ...

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