Name: time-lapse confocal imaging of migrating neurons in organotypic slice culture of embryonic mouse brain using in utero electroporation
Uploaded: 2017-07-25T12:30:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Time-lapse Confocal Imaging of Migrating Neurons in Organotypic Slice Culture of Embryonic Mouse Brain Using In Utero Electroporation at JoVE.com

We thank Jacqueline Andratschke, Elena Werle, Sachi Takenaka, and Matthias Toberer for excellent technical assistance, as well as Victor Tarabykin for helpful discussions. This work was supported by a grant of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft to S.B. (BR-2215).

All experimental procedures were approved by the Animal Welfare Committee (Regierungspr&#228;sidium T&#252;bingen) and carried out in accordance by the German Animal Welfare Act and the EU Directive 2010/63/EU.
1. In Utero Electroporation
<ol>
	<li>Microinjection needles
	<ol>
		<li>Pull borosilicate glass capillaries (outer diameter: 1.0 mm, inner diameter: 0.58 mm, length: 100 mm) into microinjection needles using a micropipette puller with a box filament (2.5 mm ...

<ol>
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Radial migration is a key process in neocortex development. Mutations in genes affecting different steps of this process can cause severe cortical malformations, including lissencephaly and white matter heterotopia1,2. We recently showed that Bcl11a, which is expressed in young migrating cortical projection neurons, plays a role in radial migration. We used time-lapse confocal imaging of migrating neurons in acute cortical slices of electroporated brains to direc...

The neocortex is the major site of cognitive, emotional, and sensorimotor functions. It is composed of six horizontal layers oriented in parallel to the surface of the brain. During development progenitor cells in the lateral wall of the dorsal telencephalon give rise to projection neurons that migrate radially towards the pial surface and acquire a layer type-specific neuronal identity. After being generated in the ventricular/subventricular zones (VZ/SVZ) these neurons become transiently multipolar and slow their migration. After a short stay in the intermediate zone (IZ) they switch to a bipolar morphology, attach to the radial glial scaffold, and continue radially oriented migration into the cortical plate (CP). Upon reaching their final target projection neurons detach from the radial glial processes and acquire layer-specific identity. Mutations in genes affecting different steps of neuronal migration can cause severe cortical malformation, such as lissencephaly or white matter heterotopia1,2.
In utero electroporation is a rapid and powerful technique to transfect neural progenitor cells in the developing brain of rodent embryos3,4. With this technique it is possible to knockdown and/or overexpress genes of interest in order to study their functions in developing neurons. This method has specifically helped to describe the morphological details and characterize the molecular mechanisms of the process of radial migration5,6,7,8,9. Radially migrating neurons undergo dynamic changes in cell shape, migration speed, as well as migratory direction, which require direct and continuous observation over time. Organotypic slice culture and time-lapse confocal imaging of electroporated brains allow to directly observe migrating neurons over time. Using this combined approach, it is possible to analyze distinct features of migrating neurons that cannot be investigated in fixed tissue sections of electroporated brains.
We recently applied time-lapse confocal imaging of migrating neurons in slice cultures of electroporated brains to study the role of the transcription factor B cell CLL/lymphoma 11a (Bcl11a) during cortical development10. Bcl11a is expressed in young migrating cortical neurons and we used a conditional mutant Bcl11a allele (Bcl11aflox)11 to study its functions. Electroporation of Cre recombinase together with green fluorescent protein (GFP) into cortical progenitors of Bcl11aflox/flox brains allowed us to create a mosaic mutant situation, in which only few cells are mutated in an otherwise wild-type background. In this way, it was possible to study cell-autonomous functions of Bcl11a at the single cell level. We found that Bcl11a mutant neurons display reduced speed, shifts in their speed profiles, as well as random-like orientation changes during their migration10. In the outlined protocol we describe a workflow for successful electroporation and slice culture preparation12 of mouse brains, as well as time-lapse confocal imaging of cortical slice cultures.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="771">
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		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">isoflurane</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Abbott Laboratories&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">506949</td>
			<td style="width:209px;">Forene</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">6-well plate</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Corning</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">351146</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">12-well plate</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Corning</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">351143</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">non-absorbable surgical suture</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Ethicon</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">K890H</td>
			<td>3/8 circle, 13 mm, taper point</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">Micro Adson Forceps</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Fine Science Tools</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">11018-12</td>
			<td>serrated, length: 12 cm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">fine scissors</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Fine Science Tools</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">14063-09</td>
			<td>angled to side, length: 9 cm</td>
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		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">Mathieu Needle Holder</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Fine Science Tools</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">12510-14</td>
			<td>tungsten carbide, length: 14 cm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">fine tipped forceps</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Fine Science Tools</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">11370-40</td>
			<td>straight, 11 cm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">Vannas T&#252;bingen Spring Scissors</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Fine Science Tools</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">15005-08</td>
			<td>angled up, 9.5 cm</td>
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		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">ring forceps</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Fine Science Tools</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">11103-09</td>
			<td>OD: 3mm, ID, 2.2 mm, length: 9 cm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">HBSS (10X)</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Gibco</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">14180046</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">L-Glutamine</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Gibco</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">25030081</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">Penicillin/Streptomycin</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Gibco</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">15140122</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">horse serum</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Gibco</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">26050088</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">BME</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Gibco</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">41010026</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">borosilicate glass capillaries</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Harvard Apparatus</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">30-0016</td>
			<td>1.0 OD x 0.58 ID x 100 L mm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">anesthsesia system</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Harvard Apparaus</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">72-6471</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">anesthetizing chamber</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Harvard Apparaus</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">34-0460</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">fluosorber filter canister</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Harvard Apparaus</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">34-0415</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">low melting point agarose</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Invitrogen</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">16520100</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">vibrating blade microtome</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Leica</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">VT1200 S</td>
			<td></td>
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		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">fluorescence stereo microscope</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Leica</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">M205 FA</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">stereo microscope</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Leica</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">M125</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:281px;">inverted fluorescence tissue culture microscope</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Leica</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">DM IL LED</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">confocal laser scanning microscope</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Leica</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">TCS SP5II</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">hybrid detector</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Leica</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">HyD</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">objective, 40x/0.60 NA</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Leica</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">11506201</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:281px;">microscope temperature control system</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Life Imaging Services</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">Cube, Brick &#38; Box</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">cell culture insert</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Millipore</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">PICM0RG50</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">microgrinder</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Narishige</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">EG-45</td>
			<td>use 38&#176; angle for beveling</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">microinjector</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Parker Hannifin&#160;</td>
			<td>052-0500-900</td>
			<td style="width:209px;">Picospritzer III</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:281px;">carprofen</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Pfizer Animal Health</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">NDC 61106-8507</td>
			<td>Rimadyl</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">emdedding mold</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Polysciences</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">18986-1</td>
			<td></td>
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		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">endotoxin-free plasmid maxi kit</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Qiagen</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">12362</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">fast green</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">F7252</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">laminin</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">L2020</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">poly-L-lysine</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">P5899</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">HEPES</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">H4034</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">D-glucose</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">G6152</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">calcium chloride</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">C7902</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">magensium sulfate</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">M2643</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">sodium bicarbonate</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">S6297</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">square wave electroporator</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Sonidel</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">CUY21EDIT</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:281px;">tweezers with 5 mm platinum disk electrodes</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Sonidel</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">CUY650P5</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">micropipette puller</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Sutter Instrument</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">P-97</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">box filament</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Sutter Instrument</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">FB255B</td>
			<td>2.5 mm x 2.5 mm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:281px;">micro-spoon spatula</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">VWR</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">231-0191</td>
			<td>185 mm x 5 mm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:281px;">glass bottom dish, 50 mm</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">World Precision Instruments</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">FD5040-100</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

time-lapse confocal imaging of migrating neurons in organotypic slice culture of embryonic mouse brain using in utero electroporation

In utero electroporation is a rapid and powerful approach to study the process of radial migration in the cerebral cortex of developing mouse embryos. It has helped to describe the different steps of radial migration and characterize the molecular mechanisms controlling this process. To directly and dynamically analyze migrating neurons they have to be traced over time. This protocol describes a workflow that combines in utero electroporation with organotypic slice culture and time-lapse confocal imaging, which allows for a direct examination and dynamic analysis of radially migrating cortical neurons. Furthermore, detailed characterization of migrating neurons, such as migration speed, speed profiles, as well as radial orientation changes, is possible. The method can easily be adapted to perform functional analyses of genes of interest in radially migrating cortical neurons by loss and gain of function as well as rescue experiments. Time-lapse imaging of migrating neurons is a state-of-the-art technique that once established is a potent tool to study the development of the cerebral cortex in mouse models of neuronal migration disorders.

Previously, we have shown that genetic deletion of Bcl11a by in utero electroporation impairs radial migration of late-born upper-layer projection neurons10. Electroporation of a DNA plasmid vector containing Cre-IRES-GFP efficiently deleted Bcl11a in conditional Bcl11aflox/flox brains11. When we analyzed E14.5 electroporated brains three days after the electroporation, most control neu...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Time-lapse Confocal Imaging of Migrating Neurons in Organotypic Slice Culture of Embryonic Mouse Brain Using In Utero Electroporation at JoVE.com

Time-lapse Confocal Imaging of Migrating Neurons in Organotypic Slice Culture of Embryonic Mouse Brain Using In Utero Electroporation

This protocol provides instructions for direct observation of radially migrating cortical neurons. In utero electroporation, organotypic slice culture, and time-lapse confocal imaging are combined to directly and dynamically study the effects of overexpression or downregulation of genes of interest in migrating neurons and to analyze their differentiation during development.

Time-lapse Confocal Imaging of Migrating Neurons in Organotypic Slice Culture of Embryonic Mouse Brain Using In Utero Electroporation

In utero electroporation is a rapid and powerful approach to study the process of radial migration in the cerebral cortex of developing mouse embryos. It ...

Research

JoVE Journal

Neuroscience

Dissection and Culture of Commissural Neurons from Embryonic Spinal Cord

Commissural neurons have been widely used to investigate the mechanisms underlying axon guidance during embryonic spinal cord development. The cell bodies ...

In utero Electroporation followed by Primary Neuronal Culture for Studying Gene Function in Subset of Cortical Neurons

In utero Electroporation followed by Primary Neuronal Culture for Studying Gene Function in Subset of Cortical Neurons

In vitro study of primary neuronal cultures allows for quantitative analyses of neurite outgrowth. In order to study how genetic alterations affect ...

An Organotypic Slice Assay for High-Resolution Time-Lapse Imaging of Neuronal Migration in the Postnatal Brain

Neurogenesis in the postnatal brain depends on maintenance of three biological events: proliferation of progenitor cells, migration of neuroblasts, as ...

Time-lapse Live Imaging of Clonally Related Neural Progenitor Cells in the Developing Zebrafish Forebrain

Precise patterns of division, migration and differentiation of neural progenitor cells are crucial for proper brain development and function1,2. To ...

Efficient Gene Delivery into Multiple CNS Territories Using In Utero Electroporation

Efficient Gene Delivery into Multiple CNS Territories Using In Utero Electroporation

The ability to manipulate gene expression is the cornerstone of modern day experimental embryology, leading to the elucidation of multiple developmental ...

Mouse in Utero Electroporation: Controlled Spatiotemporal Gene Transfection

Mouse in Utero Electroporation: Controlled Spatiotemporal Gene Transfection

In order to understand the function of genes expressed in specific region of the developing brain, including signaling molecules and axon guidance ...

Visualization and Genetic Manipulation of Dendrites and Spines in the Mouse Cerebral Cortex and Hippocampus using In utero Electroporation

Visualization and Genetic Manipulation of Dendrites and Spines in the Mouse Cerebral Cortex and Hippocampus using In utero Electroporation

In utero electroporation (IUE) has become a powerful technique to study the development of different regions of the embryonic nervous system 1-5. To date ...

In vivo Postnatal Electroporation and Time-lapse Imaging of Neuroblast Migration in Mouse Acute Brain Slices

In vivo Postnatal Electroporation and Time-lapse Imaging of Neuroblast Migration in Mouse Acute Brain Slices

The subventricular zone (SVZ) is one of the main neurogenic niches in the postnatal brain. Here, neural progenitors proliferate and give rise to ...

Live Imaging of Mitosis in the Developing Mouse Embryonic Cortex

Although of short duration, mitosis is a complex and dynamic multi-step process fundamental for development of organs including the brain. In the ...

Visualization and Live Imaging of Oligodendrocyte Organelles in Organotypic Brain Slices Using Adeno-associated Virus and Confocal Microscopy

Neurons rely on the electric insulation and trophic support of myelinating oligodendrocytes. Despite the importance of oligodendrocytes, the advanced ...