The Fralin Life Science Research Institute and The Metabolic Phenotyping Core at Virginia Tech supported this work.

Animal studies were performed under an approved protocol by the Institutional Animal Care and use Committee at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
1. Setup (Time: ~45 min)
<ol>
	<li>Thaw frozen stores of 0.25% Trypsin, Isolation Buffer for Mitochondria (IBM) 1 and IBM2 in a 37 &#176;C water bath.</li>
	<li>Rinse glassware and dissecting instruments in 70% ethanol followed by high purity water.</li>
	<li>Prepare 0.05% trypsin solution from 0.25% trypsin stock by diluting 1 pa...

<ol>
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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+mitochondrial+genome+in+aging+and+senescence.">The mitochondrial genome in aging and senescence.</a> Ageing Res. Rev. 18, 1-15 (2014).</li><li>Dube, J. J., 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=Effects+of+acute+lipid+overload+on+skeletal+muscle+insulin+resistance,+metabolic+flexibility,+and+mitochondrial+performance.">Effects of acute lipid overload on skeletal muscle insulin resistance, metabolic flexibility, and mitochondrial performance.</a> Am. J. Physiol. Endocrinol. Metab. 12, 1117-1124 (2014).</li><li>Fernandez-Vizarra, E., Lopez-Perez, M. J., Enriquez, J. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Isolation+of+biogenetically+competent+mitochondria+from+mammalian+tissues+and+cultured+cells.">Isolation of biogenetically competent mitochondria from mammalian tissues and cultured cells.</a> Methods (San Diego, Calif). 26, 292-297 (2002).</li><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>Rogers, G. W., 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=High+throughput+microplate+respiratory+measurements+using+minimal+quantities+of+isolated+mitochondria.">High throughput microplate respiratory measurements using minimal quantities of isolated mitochondria.</a> PloS one. 6, e21746 (2011).</li><li>Guarino, R. D., 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=Method+for+determining+oxygen+consumption+rates+of+static+cultures+from+microplate+measurements+of+pericellular+dissolved+oxygen+concentration.">Method for determining oxygen consumption rates of static cultures from microplate measurements of pericellular dissolved oxygen concentration.</a> Biotechnol. and Bioeng. 86, 775-787 (2004).</li><li>Will, Y., Hynes, J., Ogurtsov, V. I., Papkovsky, D. B. <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+mitochondrial+function+using+phosphorescent+oxygen-sensitive+probes.">Analysis of mitochondrial function using phosphorescent oxygen-sensitive probes.</a> Nat. Protoc. 1, 2563-2572 (2007).</li><li>Hulver, M. W., 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=Elevated+stearoyl-CoA+desaturase-1+expression+in+skeletal+muscle+contributes+to+abnormal+fatty+acid+partitioning+in+obese+humans.">Elevated stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 expression in skeletal muscle contributes to abnormal fatty acid partitioning in obese humans.</a> Cell Metab. 2, 251-261 (2005).</li><li>Frisard, M. I., 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=Toll-like+receptor+4+modulates+skeletal+muscle+substrate+metabolism.">Toll-like receptor 4 modulates skeletal muscle substrate metabolism.</a> Am. J. Physiol. Endocrinol. Metab. 298, e988-e998 (2010).</li><li>Chance, B., Williams, G. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+respiratory+chain+and+oxidative+phosphorylation.">The respiratory chain and oxidative phosphorylation.</a> Adv. Enzymol. Relat. Subjects of Biochem. 17, 65-134 (1956).</li><li>Garcia-Cazarin, M. L., Snider, N. N., 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+isolation+from+skeletal+muscle.">Mitochondrial isolation from skeletal muscle.</a> JoVE. , (2011).</li><li>Gross, V. 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=Isolation+of+functional+mitochondria+from+rat+kidney+and+skeletal+muscle+without+manual+homogenization.">Isolation of functional mitochondria from rat kidney and skeletal muscle without manual homogenization.</a> Anal. Biochem. 418, 213-223 (2011).</li><li>Krieger, D. A., Tate, C. A., McMillin-Wood, J., Booth, F. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Populations+of+rat+skeletal+muscle+mitochondria+after+exercise+and+immobilization.">Populations of rat skeletal muscle mitochondria after exercise and immobilization.</a> J. Appl. Physiol.: Respir., Envir. and Ex. Physiol. 48, 23-28 (1980).</li><li>Asmann, Y. W., 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=Skeletal+muscle+mitochondrial+functions,+mitochondrial+DNA+copy+numbers,+and+gene+transcript+profiles+in+type+2+diabetic+and+nondiabetic+subjects+at+equal+levels+of+low+or+high+insulin+and+euglycemia.">Skeletal muscle mitochondrial functions, mitochondrial DNA copy numbers, and gene transcript profiles in type 2 diabetic and nondiabetic subjects at equal levels of low or high insulin and euglycemia.</a> Diabetes. 55, 3309-3319 (2006).</li><li>Lanza, I. R., Nair, K. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Functional+assessment+of+isolated+mitochondria+in+vitro.">Functional assessment of isolated mitochondria in vitro.</a> Methods Enzymol. 457, 349-372 (2009).</li></ol>

The methods presented herein provide a detailed description of a mitochondrial isolation procedure from minimal quantities (~75-100 mg) of mouse skeletal muscle. This isolation procedure is able to yield high functioning, pure mitochondria (~450 &#181;g) as evidenced by O2 consumption rates, RCR values, maximal citrate synthase activity and protein expression from immunoblotting. Importantly, the mitochondria isolated from this procedure can be used for multiple respirometirc assays with microplate based O<sub...

The primary function of mitochondria is to produce ATP from oxidative phosphorylation. However, mitochondria have many other important cellular functions including but not limited to: the production and detoxification of reactive oxygen species, the regulation of cytoplasmic and mitochondrial calcium, organelle trafficking, ionic homeostasis, and involvement in apoptosis1,2. Therefore, it is not surprising that dysfunctional mitochondria play a role in many disease pathologies, such as aging, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular disease, cancer, obesity, and diabetes3,4. Importantly, skeletal muscle mitochondria specifically are involved in many of these pathologies3-5.
Mitochondrial respiration assays using isolated mitochondria allow for the assessment of electron transport chain and oxidative phosphorylation function, and the determination of mechanism(s) of action of drugs and proteins that modulate metabolism. Mitochondrial isolation procedures exist for multiple tissue and cell types for a variety of species6,7. However, these procedures often require large quantities of tissue/cells for a high quality mitochondria yield necessary for classic respirometric assays. 
Microplate based respirometirc assays allow for high throughput measurements using minimal quantities of isolated mitochondria, often just several &#181;g per well8. Therefore, we present a modification of previously published methods7 to allow for high quality mitochondria to be isolated from smaller quantities of mouse skeletal muscle for use in microplate based respirometirc assays. In addition, methods are provided to establish the quality of the mitochondrial isolation preparation and the integrity of the mitochondrial membranes. Given that skeletal muscle mitochondria are involved in many pathological conditions, the measurement of O2 consumption in mechanistically driven studies is becoming more prevalent in biomedical research9,10.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Essentially Fatty</td>
			<td rowspan="2">Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td rowspan="2">A6003</td>
			<td rowspan="2">N/A</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Acid Free- BSA</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tris/HCl</td>
			<td>Promega</td>
			<td>H5123</td>
			<td>N/A</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>KCL</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>P9541</td>
			<td>N/A</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tris Base</td>
			<td>Promega</td>
			<td>H5135</td>
			<td>N/A</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>EDTA</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>E6511</td>
			<td>N/A</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>EGTA</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>E4378</td>
			<td>N/A</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sucrose</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>S7903</td>
			<td>N/A</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>D-Mannitol</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>63559</td>
			<td>N/A</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Trypsin-EDTA (0.25%), phenol red</td>
			<td>Thermo Scientific</td>
			<td>25200-056</td>
			<td>N/A</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sodium Chloride 
			White Crystals or Crystalline Powder 
			&#8805;99.0 %</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>BP3581</td>
			<td>N/A</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sodium dodecyl sulfate</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>L3771&#160;</td>
			<td>N/A</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sodium deoxycholate</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>D6750&#160;</td>
			<td>N/A</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Polyoxyethylene (12) nonylphenyl ether, branched</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>238651</td>
			<td>N/A</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Single Edge Razor Blades</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>12-640</td>
			<td>N/A</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Falcon- 100 uM Nylon Cell Strainers</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>352360</td>
			<td>N/A</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td rowspan="2">Halt Protease &#38; Phosphatse Inhibitor Cocktail</td>
			<td rowspan="2">Thermo Scientific</td>
			<td rowspan="2">1861284</td>
			<td rowspan="2">N/A</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td rowspan="2">1.5mL microcentrifuge tubes with screw cap</td>
			<td rowspan="2">Thermo Scientific</td>
			<td rowspan="2">3474</td>
			<td rowspan="2">N/A</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td rowspan="2">Zirconium Oxide beads</td>
			<td rowspan="2">Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td rowspan="2">C9012112</td>
			<td rowspan="2">N/A</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>GAPDH antibody (1D4)</td>
			<td>Santa Cruz Biotechnology</td>
			<td>sc-59540</td>
			<td>N/A</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Anti- COXIV antibody</td>
			<td>Cell Signaling</td>
			<td>4844s</td>
			<td>Any mitochondrial inner membrane protein will suffice</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td rowspan="2">Peroxidase conjugated affinipure Donkey, Anti Rabbit IgG (H+L)</td>
			<td rowspan="2">Jackson ImmunoResearh</td>
			<td rowspan="2">711-035-152</td>
			<td rowspan="2">N/A</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td rowspan="2">Peroxidase conjugated affinipure Goat, Anti Mouse IgG (H+L)</td>
			<td rowspan="2">Jackson ImmunoResearh</td>
			<td rowspan="2">115-001-003</td>
			<td rowspan="2">N/A</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Triton-X100</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>X100</td>
			<td>N/A</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Pierce BCA Protein Assay Kit&#160;</td>
			<td>Thermo Scientific</td>
			<td>23225</td>
			<td>N/A</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Pyruvic Acid, 98%</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>107360</td>
			<td>Store at 4&#176;C,pH to 7.4 with KOH prior to use in respirometric assay</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Succinic Acid</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>S9512</td>
			<td>Store at room temperature, pH to 7.4 with KOH prior to use in respirometric assay</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>L(-) Malic Acid, BioXtra, &#8805;95%</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>M6413</td>
			<td>Store at room temperature, to 7.4 with KOH prior to use in respirometric assay</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td rowspan="2">L-Glutamic acid</td>
			<td rowspan="2">Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td rowspan="2">G1251</td>
			<td rowspan="2">Store at room temperature, to 7.4 with KOH prior to use in respirometric assay, to 7.4 with KOH prior to use in respirometric assay</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Palmitoyl L-carnitine chloride</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>P1645</td>
			<td>Store at -20&#176;C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Oligomycin A, &#8805; 95% (HPLC)</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>75351</td>
			<td>Store at -20&#176;C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Carbonyl cyanide 4-(trifluoromethoxy)</td>
			<td rowspan="3">Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td rowspan="3">C2920</td>
			<td rowspan="3">Store at 2-8&#176;C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>phenylhydrazone</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>&#8805;98% (TLC), powder [FCCP]</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Antimycin A from streptomyces sp.</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>A8674</td>
			<td>Store at -20&#176;C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td rowspan="2">Adenosine 5&#8242;-diphosphate monopotassium salt dehydrate [ADP]</td>
			<td rowspan="2">Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td rowspan="2">A5285</td>
			<td rowspan="2">Store at -20&#176;C, to 7.4 with KOH prior to use in respirometric assay</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rotenone</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>R8875</td>
			<td>Store at room temperature</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

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.

Citrate synthase activity serves as a measure for membrane integrity since citrate synthase is located in the inner mitochondrial membrane, and thus should not be present in suspensions of mitochondria with intact membranes. Figure 1 represents citrate synthase activity in non-sonicated mitochondrial samples compared with sonicated samples from the same isolation. Sonicating the mitochondria results in a statistically significant increase in citrate synthase activity (P &#60;0.01). Importantly, 92.5 &#17...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Isolation of Mitochondria from Minimal Quantities of Mouse Skeletal Muscle for High Throughput Microplate Respiratory Measurements at JoVE.com

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

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-mitochondria-from-minimal-quantities-mouse-skeletal-muscle

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JoVE Journal

Biology

12.7K Views.  Virginia Tech. 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.