Name: an engulfment assay: a protocol to assess interactions between cns phagocytes and neurons
Uploaded: 2014-06-08T23:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about An Engulfment Assay: A Protocol to Assess Interactions Between CNS Phagocytes and Neurons at JoVE.com

Work was supported by grants from the Smith Family Foundation (B.S.), Dana Foundation (B.S.), John Merck Scholars Program (B.S.), NINDS (RO1-NS-07100801; B.S.), NRSA (F32-NS-066698; D.P.S.), Nancy Lurie Marks Foundation (D.P.S.), NIH (P30-HD-18655; MRDDRC Imaging Core).

1. Anterograde Labeling of RGC Presynaptic Inputs
Note: All experiments involving the use of animals were reviewed and overseen by the institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC) in accordance with all NIH guidelines.
<ol>
	<li>Sterilize field and instruments.</li>
	<li>Anesthetize mouse with 4 vol % isoflurane in a Plexiglas induction chamber (this vol % isoflurane works for neonatal-adult mice). Observe mice closely to avoid over-anesthetizing. CAUTION: Avoid inhalation with a vacu...

<ol>
	<li>Ransohoff, R. M., Perry, V. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Microglial+physiology:+unique+stimuli,+specialized+responses.">Microglial physiology: unique stimuli, specialized responses.</a> Annu Rev Immunol. 27, 119-145 (2009).</li><li>Aguzzi, 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=Microglia:+scapegoat,+saboteur,+or+something+else.">Microglia: scapegoat, saboteur, or something else.</a> Science. 339 (6116), 156-161 (2013).</li><li>Tremblay, M. 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=The+role+of+microglia+in+the+healthy+brain.">The role of microglia in the healthy brain.</a> J Neurosci. 31 (45), 16064-16069 (2011).</li><li>Hanisch, U. K., Kettenmann, H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Microglia:+active+sensor+and+versatile+effector+cells+in+the+normal+and+pathologic+brain.">Microglia: active sensor and versatile effector cells in the normal and pathologic brain.</a> Nat. Neurosci. 10 (11), 1387-1394 (2007).</li><li>Sierra, 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=Janus-faced+microglia:+beneficial+and+detrimental+consequences+of+microglial+phagocytosis.">Janus-faced microglia: beneficial and detrimental consequences of microglial phagocytosis.</a> Front Cell Neurosci. 7, (2013).</li><li>Dheen, S. T., 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=Microglial+activation+and+its+implications+in+the+brain+diseases.">Microglial activation and its implications in the brain diseases.</a> Curr Med Chem. 14 (11), 1189-1197 (2007).</li><li>Schafer, D. P., 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=Microglia+sculpt+postnatal+neural+circuits+in+an+activity+and+complement-dependent+manner.">Microglia sculpt postnatal neural circuits in an activity and complement-dependent manner.</a> Neuron. 74 (4), 691-705 (2012).</li><li>Katz, L., Shatz, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Synaptic+activity+and+the+constuction+of+cortical+circuits.">Synaptic activity and the constuction of cortical circuits.</a> Science. 274 (5290), 1133-1138 (1996).</li><li>Sanes, J. R., Lichtman, J. W. <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+vertebrate+neuromuscular+junction.">Development of the vertebrate neuromuscular junction.</a> Annu Rev Neurosci. 22, 389-442 (1999).</li><li>Hua, J. Y., Smith, S. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Neural+activity+and+the+dynamics+of+central+nervous+system+development.">Neural activity and the dynamics of central nervous system development.</a> Nat Neurosci. 7 (4), 327-332 (2004).</li><li>Holtmaat, A., Svoboda, K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Experience-dependent+structural+synaptic+plasticity+in+the+mammalian+brain.">Experience-dependent structural synaptic plasticity in the mammalian brain.</a> Nat Rev Neurosci. 10 (9), 647-658 (2009).</li><li>Butz, 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=Activity-dependent+structural+plasticity.">Activity-dependent structural plasticity.</a> Brain Res Rev. 60 (2), 287-305 (2009).</li><li>Bruel-Jungerman, 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=Brain+plasticity+mechanisms+and+memory:+a+party+of+four.">Brain plasticity mechanisms and memory: a party of four.</a> Neuroscientist. 13 (5), 492-505 (2007).</li><li>Schafer, D. P., Stevens, B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Synapse+elimination+during+development+and+disease:+immune+molecules+take+centre+stage.">Synapse elimination during development and disease: immune molecules take centre stage.</a> Biochem Soc Trans. 38 (2), 476-481 (2010).</li><li>Alexander, 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=The+complement+system:+an+unexpected+role+in+synaptic+pruning+during+development+and+disease.">The complement system: an unexpected role in synaptic pruning during development and disease.</a> Annu Rev Neurosci. 35, 369-389 (2012).</li><li>Brown, A., Weaver, L. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+dark+side+of+neuroplasticity.">The dark side of neuroplasticity.</a> Exp Neurol. 235 (1), 133-141 (2012).</li><li>Navarro, X. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Chapter+27:+Neural+plasticity+after+nerve+injury+and+regeneration.">Chapter 27: Neural plasticity after nerve injury and regeneration.</a> Int Rev Neurobiol. 87, 483-505 (2009).</li><li>Tan, A. M., Waxman, S. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Spinal+cord+injury,+dendritic+spine+remodeling,+and+spinal+memory+mechanisms.">Spinal cord injury, dendritic spine remodeling, and spinal memory mechanisms.</a> Exp Neurol. 235 (1), 142-151 (2012).</li><li>Wolpaw, J. R., Tennissen, A. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Activity-dependent+spinal+cord+plasticity+in+health+and+disease.">Activity-dependent spinal cord plasticity in health and disease.</a> Annu Rev Neurosci. 24, 807-843 (2001).</li><li>Schafer, D. P., 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+&amp;#34;quad-partite&amp;#34;+synapse:+Microglia-synapse+interactions+in+the+developing+and+mature+CNS.">The &amp;#34;quad-partite&amp;#34; synapse: Microglia-synapse interactions in the developing and mature CNS.</a> Glia. 61 (1), 24-36 (2013).</li><li>Mukhopadhyay, 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=Manganese-induced+trafficking+and+turnover+of+the+cis-Golgi+glycoprotein+GPP130.">Manganese-induced trafficking and turnover of the cis-Golgi glycoprotein GPP130.</a> Mol Biol Cell. 21 (7), 1282-1292 (2010).</li><li>Jung, 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=Analysis+of+fractalkine+receptor+CX(3)CR1+function+by+targeted+deletion+and+green+fluorescent+protein+reporter+gene+insertion.">Analysis of fractalkine receptor CX(3)CR1 function by targeted deletion and green fluorescent protein reporter gene insertion.</a> Mol Cell Biol. 20, 4106-4114 (2000).</li><li>Knobloch, M., Mansuy, I. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Dendritic+spine+loss+and+synaptic+alterations+in+Alzheimer's+disease.">Dendritic spine loss and synaptic alterations in Alzheimer's disease.</a> Mol Neurobiol. 37 (1), 73-82 (2008).</li><li>Masliah, 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=Synaptic+remodeling+during+aging+and+in+Alzheimer's+disease.">Synaptic remodeling during aging and in Alzheimer's disease.</a> J Alzheimers Dis. 9 (3 Suppl), 91-99 (2006).</li><li>Yoshiyama, Y., 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=Synapse+loss+and+microglial+activation+precede+tangles+in+a+P301S+tauopathy+mouse+model.">Synapse loss and microglial activation precede tangles in a P301S tauopathy mouse model.</a> Neuron. 53 (3), 337-351 (1016).</li><li>Milnerwood, A. J., Raymond, L. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Early+synaptic+pathophysiology+in+neurodegeneration:+insights+from+Huntington's+disease.">Early synaptic pathophysiology in neurodegeneration: insights from Huntington's disease.</a> Trends Neurosci. 33 (11), 513-523 (2010).</li><li>Noda, M., Suzumura, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Sweepers+in+the+CNS:+Microglial+Migration+and+Phagocytosis+in+the+Alzheimer+Disease+Pathogenesis.">Sweepers in the CNS: Microglial Migration and Phagocytosis in the Alzheimer Disease Pathogenesis.</a> Int J Alzheimers Dis. , (2012).</li><li>Rotshenker, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Microglia+and+macrophage+activation+and+the+regulation+of+complement-receptor-3+(CR3/MAC-1)-mediated+myelin+phagocytosis+in+injury+and+disease.">Microglia and macrophage activation and the regulation of complement-receptor-3 (CR3/MAC-1)-mediated myelin phagocytosis in injury and disease.</a> J Mol Neurosci. 21 (1), 65-72 (2003).</li><li>Smith, M. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Phagocytosis+of+myelin+in+demyelinative+disease:+a+review.">Phagocytosis of myelin in demyelinative disease: a review.</a> Neurochem Res. 24 (2), 261-268 (1999).</li></ol>

In order to accurately measure phagocytosis, engulfed material must be labeled in such a way that the researcher can visualize it once lysosomal degradation has occurred. In addition, high resolution imaging is required, followed by the use of software that will enable the researcher to visualize the volume of the entire cell and quantify its contents. In this protocol, we describe a highly reliable and quantitative method for measuring phagocyte-mediated engulfment using CTB conjugated to Alexa dyes to label engulfed ma...

Synaptic circuits remodel throughout the life of an animal. In the developing brain, synapses form in excess and must undergo synaptic pruning which involves the selective removal of a subset of synapses and the maintenance and strengthening of those synapses that remain8-10. This process is necessary to achieve the precise connectivity characteristic of the adult nervous system. In the adult, synapses can also be plastic, particularly in the context of learning and memory. The structural correlates of this plasticity are thought to include the addition and/or elimination of dendritic spines and presynaptic boutons11-13. In addition to these roles in the healthy nervous system, synaptic remodeling is also involved in nervous system disease/injury12,14,15. For example, following spinal cord injury, severed axons must subsequently remodel and form new synapses to achieve functional recovery16-19.
Emerging as an important aspect of synaptic plasticity is the process of phagocytosis or engulfment of synapses destined for removal3,5,20. We recently showed this phenomenon in the context of synaptic pruning in the healthy, postnatal mouse brain7. Specifically, microglia, the resident CNS immune cells and phagocytes, were shown to engulf presynaptic inputs during a peak period and in a region of developmental synaptic pruning, the postnatal dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) of the thalamus. Genetic or pharmacological blockade of this engulfment resulted in sustained deficits in synaptic connectivity.
In this protocol, we describe a reliable and highly quantitative assay to measure phagocyte-mediated engulfment of presynaptic inputs. For the purposes of this article, this assay will be presented in the context of the developing retinogeniculate system, which includes retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) residing in the retina that project presynaptic inputs to the dLGN (Figure 1A). To begin, a lysosomal degradation-resistant anterograde labeling strategy will be described, which is used to visualize RGC-specific presynaptic inputs in the dLGN (Figure 1)7,21. Following this description, a detailed methodology for imaging and quantitatively measuring engulfment using confocal microscopy combined with 3 dimensional (3D) surface volume rendering will be given. This methodology is based on fixed tissue preparation but may also be adapted for use in live imaging studies. Importantly, while the assay has been validated in the context of the healthy, postnatal retinogeniculate system, one could apply the same techniques to assess other phagocyte-neuron interactions throughout the brain and during disease, as well as phagocyte function in other organ systems.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="533">
	<tbody>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;width:144px;">Heat pad</td>
			<td style="width:159px;">Vet Equip, Inc.</td>
			<td style="width:168px;">965500&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:63px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="38">
			<td height="38" style="height:38px;width:144px;">Warm water source for heat pad</td>
			<td style="width:159px;">Kent Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:168px;">TP-700</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="39">
			<td height="39" style="height:39px;width:144px;">Stereo microscope</td>
			<td style="width:159px;">DSC Optical</td>
			<td style="width:168px;">Zeiss Opmi -6 Surgical Microscope</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="40" rowspan="2" style="height:40px;width:144px;">Sliding microtome with freezing stage</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:159px;">Leica</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:168px;">SM2010 R</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;width:144px;">Microtome blade</td>
			<td style="width:159px;">Leica</td>
			<td style="width:168px;">14021607100</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="57">
			<td height="57" style="height:57px;width:144px;">Fluorescent dissecting microscope</td>
			<td style="width:159px;">Nikon</td>
			<td style="width:168px;">SMZ800 with Epi-fluorescence attachment</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="57">
			<td height="57" style="height:57px;width:144px;">Spinning disk confocal microscope</td>
			<td style="width:159px;">Perkin Elmer</td>
			<td style="width:168px;">UltraView Vox Spinning Disk Confocal</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="51">
			<td height="51" style="height:51px;width:131px;">10 &#181;l Hamilton gas tight syringes</td>
			<td style="width:131px;">Hamilton</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">80030</td>
			<td style="width:144px;">Use a different syringe for each color dye/tracer</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="51">
			<td height="51" style="height:51px;width:131px;">Hamilton needles</td>
			<td style="width:131px;">Hamilton</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">7803-05, specifications: blunt, 1.5&#34;</td>
			<td style="width:144px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="54" rowspan="3" style="height:54px;width:131px;">Alexa-conjugated cholera toxin &#946; subunit (CTB)</td>
			<td rowspan="3" style="width:131px;">Invitrogen</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">488: C22841</td>
			<td rowspan="3" style="width:144px;">Reconstitute in sterile saline, 80 &#181;l (488), 100 &#181;l (594), 20 &#181;l (647)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="17">
			<td height="17" style="height:17px;width:116px;">594: C22842</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="17">
			<td height="17" style="height:17px;width:116px;">647: C34778</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="34">
			<td height="34" style="height:34px;width:131px;">Phosphate Buffered Saline&#160;(PBS)</td>
			<td style="width:131px;">Sigma</td>
			<td>P4417-50TAB</td>
			<td style="width:144px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="73">
			<td height="73" style="height:73px;width:131px;">Neomycin and Polymyxin B Sulfates and Bacitracin Zinc Ophthalmic Ointment USP (antibiotic ointment)</td>
			<td style="width:131px;">Bausch &#38; Lomb</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">24208-780-55</td>
			<td style="width:144px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="17">
			<td height="17" style="height:17px;width:131px;">30.5 gauge needle</td>
			<td style="width:131px;">Becton Dickinson</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">305106</td>
			<td rowspan="3" style="width:144px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="17">
			<td height="17" style="height:17px;width:131px;">Spring scissors</td>
			<td style="width:131px;">Roboz</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">RS-5630</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="34">
			<td height="34" style="height:34px;width:131px;">Cotton-tipped applicator</td>
			<td style="width:131px;">Fisher</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">23-400-125</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="104" rowspan="2" style="height:104px;width:131px;">Paraformaldeyde (PFA)</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:131px;">Electron Microscopy Sciences</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:116px;">15710</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:144px;">Dilute 16%to 4% in PBS. Paraformaldehye is toxic, use&#160; in a fume hood and wear personal protective equipment.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="83">
		</tr>
		<tr height="36">
			<td height="138" rowspan="4" style="height:138px;width:131px;">Dissection tools &#8211; scissors, forceps, spatula</td>
			<td style="width:131px;">Small scissors: Fine Science Tools</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">Small scissors:14370-22</td>
			<td rowspan="4" style="width:144px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="34">
			<td height="34" style="height:34px;width:131px;">Large scissors: Roboz</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">Large scissors: RS-6820</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="34">
			<td height="34" style="height:34px;width:131px;">#55 forceps: Fine Science Tools</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">#55 forceps: 11255-20</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="34">
			<td height="34" style="height:34px;width:131px;">Spatula: Ted Pella, Inc.</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">Spatula: 13504</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="41">
			<td height="41" style="height:41px;width:131px;">Sucrose</td>
			<td style="width:131px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">S8501-5KG</td>
			<td style="width:144px;">Make 30% sucrose in PBS (weight/vol)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;width:131px;">OCT Compound</td>
			<td style="width:131px;">VWR</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">25608-930</td>
			<td style="width:144px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="17">
			<td height="17" style="height:17px;width:131px;">Weigh boat</td>
			<td style="width:131px;">USA Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">2347-1426</td>
			<td style="width:144px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="17">
			<td height="17" style="height:17px;width:131px;">24-well plates</td>
			<td style="width:131px;">BD Biosciences</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">353047</td>
			<td style="width:144px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="87">
			<td height="87" style="height:87px;width:131px;">Sodium phosphate monobasic</td>
			<td style="width:131px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">S6566-500G</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:144px;">Make 0.2 M sodium phosphate monobasic (PB-A) in ddH20 and 0.2 M sodium phosphate dibasic (PB-B) in ddH20.&#160; To make 0.1 M PB, combine 19 ml PB-A and 81 ml PB-B, fill to 200 ml with ddH20&#160;&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="84">
			<td height="84" style="height:84px;width:131px;">Sodium phosphate dibasic&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:131px;">Sigma</td>
			<td>S5136-500G</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="34">
			<td height="34" style="height:34px;width:131px;">Coverslips, 22 X 50 mm, No. 1.5</td>
			<td style="width:131px;">VWR</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">48393 194</td>
			<td style="width:144px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="34">
			<td height="34" style="height:34px;width:131px;">Charged microscope slide</td>
			<td style="width:131px;">VWR</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">48311-703</td>
			<td style="width:144px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="17">
			<td height="17" style="height:17px;width:131px;">Vectasheild</td>
			<td style="width:131px;">Vector Laboratories</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">H-1200</td>
			<td style="width:144px;"></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

an engulfment assay: a protocol to assess interactions between cns phagocytes and neurons

Phagocytosis is a process in which a cell engulfs material (entire cell, parts of a cell, debris, etc.) in its surrounding extracellular environment and subsequently digests this material, commonly through lysosomal degradation. Microglia are the resident immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS) whose phagocytic function has been described in a broad range of conditions from neurodegenerative disease (e.g., beta-amyloid clearance in Alzheimer&#8217;s disease) to development of the healthy brain (e.g., synaptic pruning)1-6. The following protocol is an engulfment assay developed to visualize and quantify microglia-mediated engulfment of presynaptic inputs in the developing mouse retinogeniculate system7. While this assay was used to assess microglia function in this particular context, a similar approach may be used to assess other phagocytes throughout the brain (e.g., astrocytes) and the rest of the body (e.g., peripheral macrophages) as well as other contexts in which synaptic remodeling occurs (e.g. ,brain injury/disease).

Recently, we used this engulfment assay to visualize and quantify microglia-mediated engulfment of presynaptic inputs in the developing retinogeniculate system (Figure 1)7. RGCs from CX3CR1-EGFP heterozygous mice were anterogradely traced with CTB-594 and CTB-647 into the left and right eyes, respectively. Following this tracing, EGFP-positive microglia within the dLGN were imaged. These images were subsequently surface-rendered for volume measurements.
Using this t...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about An Engulfment Assay: A Protocol to Assess Interactions Between CNS Phagocytes and Neurons at JoVE.com

An Engulfment Assay: A Protocol to Assess Interactions Between CNS Phagocytes and Neurons

Microglia are the resident immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS) with a high capacity to phagocytose or engulf material in their extracellular environment. Here, a broadly applicable, reliable, and highly quantitative assay for visualizing and measuring microglia-mediated engulfment of synaptic components is described.

Phagocytosis is a process in which a cell engulfs material (entire cell, parts of a cell, debris, etc.) in its surrounding extracellular environment and ...

Research

JoVE Journal

Neuroscience

Neural-Colony Forming Cell Assay: An Assay To Discriminate Bona Fide Neural Stem Cells from Neural Progenitor Cells

The neurosphere assay (NSA) is one of the most frequently used methods to isolate, expand and also calculate the frequency of neural stem cells (NSCs). ...

Mapping and Application of Enhancer-trap Flippase Expression in Larval and Adult Drosophila CNS

Mapping and Application of Enhancer-trap Flippase Expression in Larval and Adult Drosophila CNS

The Gal4/ UAS binary method is powerful for gene and neural circuitry manipulation in Drosophila. For most neurobiological studies, however, Gal4 ...

Analysis of Dendritic Spine Morphology in Cultured CNS Neurons

Dendritic spines are the sites of the majority of excitatory connections within the brain, and form the post-synaptic 
compartment of synapses. These ...

Cut-loading: A Useful Tool for Examining the Extent of Gap Junction Tracer Coupling Between Retinal Neurons

In addition to chemical synaptic transmission, neurons that are connected by gap junctions can also communicate rapidly via electrical synaptic ...

Assaying DNA Damage in Hippocampal Neurons Using the Comet Assay

A number of drugs target the DNA repair pathways and induce cell kill by creating DNA damage. Thus, processes to directly measure DNA damage have been ...

Fast Micro-iontophoresis of Glutamate and GABA: A Useful Tool to Investigate Synaptic Integration

One of the fundamental interests in neuroscience is to understand the integration of excitatory and inhibitory inputs along the very complex structure of ...

An Approach to Enhance Alignment and Myelination of Dorsal Root Ganglion Neurons

Axon regeneration is a chaotic process due largely to unorganized axon alignment. Therefore, in order for a sufficient number of regenerated axons to ...

Stripe Assay to Study the Attractive or Repulsive Activity of a Protein Substrate Using Dissociated Hippocampal Neurons

Growing axons develop a highly motile structure at their tip, termed the growth cone. The growth cone contacts extracellular environmental cues to ...

The Indirect Neuron-astrocyte Coculture Assay: An In Vitro Set-up for the Detailed Investigation of Neuron-glia Interactions

The Indirect Neuron-astrocyte Coculture Assay: An In Vitro Set-up for the Detailed Investigation of Neuron-glia Interactions

Proper neuronal development and function is the prerequisite of the developing and the adult brain. However, the mechanisms underlying the highly ...

An Optical Assay for Synaptic Vesicle Recycling in Cultured Neurons Overexpressing Presynaptic Proteins

At active presynaptic nerve terminals, synaptic vesicles undergo cycles of exo- and endocytosis. During recycling, the luminal domains of SV transmembrane ...