Name: co-localization of cell lineage markers and the tomato signal
Uploaded: 2016-12-28T14:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Co-localization of Cell Lineage Markers and the Tomato Signal at JoVE.com

This study was supported by NIH grant DE025014 to JQF.

All protocols were reviewed and approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) at Texas A&#38;M University College of Dentistry.
1. Animal Breeding
<ol>
	<li>Use three animal models in this study. To investigate the fate of the embryonic chondrocytes in condyle formation, first use Col10a1-Cre15 mice and cross them with Rosa26tdTomato (B6;129S6-Gt(ROSA)26Sortm9(CAG-tdTomato)Hze/J) mice to obtain Col10a1-Cre<...

<ol>
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S., Freeman, T., Srinivas, V. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Fate+of+the+hypertrophic+chondrocyte:+microenvironmental+perspectives+on+apoptosis+and+survival+in+the+epiphyseal+growth+plate.">Fate of the hypertrophic chondrocyte: microenvironmental perspectives on apoptosis and survival in the epiphyseal growth plate.</a> Birth Defects Res C Embryo Today. 75 (4), 330-339 (2005).</li><li>Kahn, A. J., Simmons, D. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Chondrocyte-to-osteocyte+transformation+in+grafts+of+perichondrium-free+epiphyseal+cartilage.">Chondrocyte-to-osteocyte transformation in grafts of perichondrium-free epiphyseal cartilage.</a> Clin Orthop Relat Res. (129), 299-304 (1977).</li><li>Roach, H. I. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Trans-differentiation+of+hypertrophic+chondrocytes+into+cells+capable+of+producing+a+mineralized+bone+matrix.">Trans-differentiation of hypertrophic chondrocytes into cells capable of producing a mineralized bone matrix.</a> Bone Miner. 19 (1), 1-20 (1992).</li><li>Park, 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=Dual+pathways+to+endochondral+osteoblasts:+a+novel+chondrocyte-derived+osteoprogenitor+cell+identified+in+hypertrophic+cartilage.">Dual pathways to endochondral osteoblasts: a novel chondrocyte-derived osteoprogenitor cell identified in hypertrophic cartilage.</a> Biol Open. 4 (5), 608-621 (2015).</li><li>Kretzschmar, K., Watt, F. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Lineage+tracing.">Lineage tracing.</a> Cell. 148 (1-2), 33-35 (2012).</li><li>Humphreys, B. D., DiRocco, D. P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Lineage-tracing+methods+and+the+kidney.">Lineage-tracing methods and the kidney.</a> Kidney Int. 86 (3), 481-488 (2014).</li><li>Romagnani, P., Rinkevich, Y., Dekel, B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+use+of+lineage+tracing+to+study+kidney+injury+and+regeneration.">The use of lineage tracing to study kidney injury and regeneration.</a> Nat Rev Nephrol. 11 (7), 420-431 (2015).</li><li>Yang, 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=Osteogenic+fate+of+hypertrophic+chondrocytes.">Osteogenic fate of hypertrophic chondrocytes.</a> Cell Res. 24 (10), 1266-1269 (2014).</li><li>Yang, L., Tsang, K. Y., Tang, H. C., Chan, D., Cheah, 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=Hypertrophic+chondrocytes+can+become+osteoblasts+and+osteocytes+in+endochondral+bone+formation.">Hypertrophic chondrocytes can become osteoblasts and osteocytes in endochondral bone formation.</a> Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 111 (33), 12097-12102 (2014).</li><li>Jing, 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=Chondrocytes+Directly+Transform+into+Bone+Cells+in+Mandibular+Condyle+Growth.">Chondrocytes Directly Transform into Bone Cells in Mandibular Condyle Growth.</a> J Dent Res. 94 (12), 1668-1675 (2015).</li><li>Zhou, X., von der Mark, K., Henry, S., Norton, W., Adams, H., de Crombrugghe, B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Chondrocytes+transdifferentiate+into+osteoblasts+in+endochondral+bone+during+development,+postnatal+growth+and+fracture+healing+in+mice.">Chondrocytes transdifferentiate into osteoblasts in endochondral bone during development, postnatal growth and fracture healing in mice.</a> PLoS Genet. 10 (12), (2014).</li><li>Purcell, P., Trainor, P. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+Mighty+Chondrocyte:+No+Bones+about+It.">The Mighty Chondrocyte: No Bones about It.</a> J Dent Res. 94 (12), 1625-1627 (2015).</li><li>Gebhard, 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=Specific+expression+of+Cre+recombinase+in+hypertrophic+cartilage+under+the+control+of+a+BAC-Col10a1+promoter.">Specific expression of Cre recombinase in hypertrophic cartilage under the control of a BAC-Col10a1 promoter.</a> Matrix Biol. 27 (8), 693-699 (2008).</li><li>Kalajzic, Z., 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=Directing+the+expression+of+a+green+fluorescent+protein+transgene+in+differentiated+osteoblasts:+comparison+between+rat+type+I+collagen+and+rat+osteocalcin+promoters.">Directing the expression of a green fluorescent protein transgene in differentiated osteoblasts: comparison between rat type I collagen and rat osteocalcin promoters.</a> Bone. 31 (6), 654-660 (2002).</li><li>Akiyama, H., 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=Osteo-chondroprogenitor+cells+are+derived+from+Sox9+expressing+precursors.">Osteo-chondroprogenitor cells are derived from Sox9 expressing precursors.</a> Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 102 (41), 14665-14670 (2005).</li><li>Henry, S. 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=Generation+of+aggrecan-CreERT2+knockin+mice+for+inducible+Cre+activity+in+adult+cartilage.">Generation of aggrecan-CreERT2 knockin mice for inducible Cre activity in adult cartilage.</a> Genesis. 47 (12), 805-814 (2009).</li><li>Ren, Y., Lin, S., Jing, Y., Dechow, P. C., Feng, J. Q. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+novel+way+to+statistically+analyze+morphologic+changes+in+Dmp1-null+osteocytes.">A novel way to statistically analyze morphologic changes in Dmp1-null osteocytes.</a> Connect Tissue Res. 55, 129-133 (2014).</li><li>Pest, M. 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Q., 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=Generation+of+a+conditional+null+allele+for+Dmp1+in+mouse.">Generation of a conditional null allele for Dmp1 in mouse.</a> Genesis. 46 (2), 87-91 (2008).</li><li>Lu, Y., Xie, Y., Zhang, S., Dusevich, V., Bonewald, L. F., Feng, J. Q. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=DMP1-targeted+Cre+expression+in+odontoblasts+and+osteocytes.">DMP1-targeted Cre expression in odontoblasts and osteocytes.</a> J Dent Res. 86 (4), 320-325 (2007).</li><li>Rios, A. C., Fu, N. Y., Lindeman, G. J., Visvader, J. 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Due to technological limitations, it is always difficult to investigate the behavior of cells in vivo. However, the cell lineage tracing technique is proving to be a powerful tool for studying cell biology7-9. In this study, we further improve this protocol by combining it with immunofluorescence. In this way, cell fate can be defined by multiple related markers, which broadens the application of lineage tracing. Moreover, this co-localization of immunofluorescence and tomato signal simultaneously dis...

During development, endochondral bone formation accounts for over 80% of the skeletal volume. It is widely believed that it begins with the apoptosis of hypertrophic chondrocytes. Subsequently, the cells from the underlying bone marrow invade and initiate angiogenesis, followed by new bone deposition by bone marrow- and periosteum-derived cells1,2. The cell fate of hypertrophic chondrocytes (HCs), however, has been an issue of debate for decades3. Initially, HCs were considered to be the end of the chondrocyte differentiation pathway, and apoptosis was generally thought to be the ultimate fate of HCs. Now, some researchers suggest that at least some HCs could survive and contribute to endochondral bone formation. Although they proposed that growth plate chondrocytes had the ability to transdifferentiate into osteoblasts based on ultrastructure, immunohistochemical staining, and in vitro studies46, none of these methods were definitive in demonstrating chondrocyte contribution to the osteoblast lineage.
The cell lineage tracing technique provides a more rigorous way to study cell fate. Briefly speaking, a recombinase enzyme, which is only expressed in a specific type of cell, stimulates the expression of the reporter gene. In this way, this type of cell and their descendants are permanently labeled7. The Cre-loxP system is commonly used in lineage tracing. Cre (the recombinase enzyme) will excise the STOP sequence between the two loxP sites and activate the reporter in a specific cell line (Figure 1A). In some cases, the investigator can choose a favorable time point to activate Cre by using a drug, such as tamoxifen, causing Cre to fuse to a modified form of the estrogen receptor (CreERT2)8. Fluorescent reporters have become the standard in lineage tracing experiments because they dramatically reduce the complexity and improve the accuracy and efficiency of cell fate tracing8,9. tdTomato is becoming the best choice among fluorescent reporters since it has the brightest fluorescent protein and the strongest epifluorescence, making it easily visualized7 (Figure 1A).
By using the Rosa26tdTomato lineage tracing system, our group and other investigators have shown that HCs can change their phenotype into bone cells during development10-14. To accomplish this, we developed two sets of tracing combinations with Rosa26tdtomato (ubiquitous expression in all cells)/Cre (specific to chondrocytes) mice: 2.3Col1a1-GFP (specific to osteoblasts) and immunofluorescence (specific to bone cells). The data demonstrate that both methods are viable ways to study cell fate in vivo.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="1099">
	<tbody>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:247px;">Tamoxifen&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:220px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:136px;">T5648</td>
			<td style="width:496px;">activate the Cre event&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Paraformaldehyde</td>
			<td>Sigma&#160;</td>
			<td>P6148</td>
			<td>fix the sample</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid</td>
			<td>Alfa Aesar</td>
			<td>A10713</td>
			<td>decalcify the hard tissue</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Sucrose&#160;</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>S0389</td>
			<td>dehydrate the tissue</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Hyaluronidase from bovine testes&#160;</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>H4272</td>
			<td>retrieve antigen for immunochemical staining</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:247px;">Bovine serum albumin</td>
			<td>Sigma&#160;</td>
			<td>A3059</td>
			<td>blocking solution&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">primary antibody for Runx2&#160;</td>
			<td>Cell Signal</td>
			<td>D1L7F</td>
			<td>primary antibody for immunochemical staining</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">primary antibody for DMP1</td>
			<td style="width:220px;">provided by Dr. Chunlin Qin</td>
			<td style="width:136px;"></td>
			<td>primary antibody for immunochemical staining</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">anti-rabbit IgG</td>
			<td style="width:220px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:136px;">18140</td>
			<td>control for immunochemical staining</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">secondary antibody&#160;</td>
			<td>Invitrogen</td>
			<td>A11008</td>
			<td>second antibody for immunochemical staining</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">OCT</td>
			<td>Tissue-Tek</td>
			<td>4583</td>
			<td>embed the sample for frozen section</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Tween 20</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>BP337</td>
			<td>PBST</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">non-fluorescing antifade mountant</td>
			<td>Life technologies</td>
			<td>P36934</td>
			<td>mounting slides</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">DAPI</td>
			<td>Life technologies</td>
			<td>P36931</td>
			<td>nuclear staining</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Hydrophobic Barrier Pen</td>
			<td>Vector Laboratories</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>circle the section on the slide for for immunochemical staining&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Xylazine</td>
			<td style="width:220px;">AnaSed</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>anesthetization&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Ketaset&#160;</td>
			<td>Zoetis</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>anesthetization&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:247px;">cryosection machine</td>
			<td style="width:220px;">Leica</td>
			<td style="width:136px;">CM1860 UV</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:247px;">confocal microscope</td>
			<td style="width:220px;">Leica</td>
			<td>DM6000 CFS&#160;</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

co-localization of cell lineage markers and the tomato signal

The cell lineage tracing system has been used predominantly in developmental biology studies. The use of Cre recombinase allows for the activation of the reporter in a specific cell line and all progeny. Here, we used the cell lineage tracing technique to demonstrate that chondrocytes directly transform into osteoblasts and osteocytes during long bone and mandibular condyle development using two kinds of Cre, Col10a1-Cre and Aggrecan-CreERT2 (Agg-CreERT2), crossed with Rosa26tdTomato. Both Col10 and aggrecan are well-recognized markers for chondrocytes.
On this basis, we developed a new method-cell lineage tracing in conjunction with fluorescent immunohistochemistry-to define cell fate by analyzing the expression of specific cell markers. Runx2 (a marker for early-stage osteogenic cells) and Dentin matrix protein1 (DMP1; a marker for late-stage osteogenic cells) were used to identify chondrocyte-derived bone cells and their differentiation status. This combination not only broadens the application of cell lineage tracing, but also simplifies the generation of compound mice. More importantly, the number, location, and differentiation statuses of parent cell progeny are displayed simultaneously, providing more information than cell lineage tracing alone. In conclusion, the co-application of cell lineage tracing techniques and immunofluorescence is a powerful tool for investigating cell biology in vivo.

Chondrocytes Directly Transform into Bone Cells (Osteoblasts and Osteocytes) in the Mandibular Condyle and Long Bone.
Aggrecan, a critical gene for chondrogenesis, is mainly expressed in early and mature chondrocytes18. As a result, the injection of tamoxifen at 2 weeks of age in Agg-CreERT2; Rosa26tdTomato mice activated the red-tomato reporter in all ...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Co-localization of Cell Lineage Markers and the Tomato Signal at JoVE.com

Co-localization of Cell Lineage Markers and the Tomato Signal

We developed two sets of tracing combinations in Rosa26tdtomato (ubiquitously expressed in all cells)/Cre (specifically expressed in chondrocytes) mice: one with 2.3Col1a1-GFP (specific to osteoblasts) and one with immunofluorescence (specific to bone cells). The data demonstrate the direct transformation of chondrocytes into bone cells.

The cell lineage tracing system has been used predominantly in developmental biology studies. The use of Cre recombinase allows for the activation of the ...

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