Name: generation of multicellular human primary endometrial organoids
Uploaded: 2019-10-04T15:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Generation of Multicellular Human Primary Endometrial Organoids at JoVE.com

This study was funded by NIEHS/NIH/NCATS UG3 grant (ES029073) and Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine Bridge fund (JJK). We would like to acknowledge the Northwestern Pathology Core Facility for processing the fixed organoids for paraffin embedding. We would like to acknowledge the entire UG3 team including the Woodruff, Burdette, and Urbanek labs for the insightful discussions and collaborations.

Endometrial samples were collected from premenopausal women undergoing routine hysterectomy for benign uterine conditions at Northwestern University Prentice Women&#39;s Hospital, according to an Institutional Review Board-approved protocol. Written consent was obtained from all women included in the study.
1. Preparation of Agarose Molds
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	<li>Prior to beginning cell isolation, cast and equilibrate 1.5% agarose micro molds (Table of Materials) to house the organoids acc...

<ol>
	<li>Henriet, P., Gaide Chevronnay, H. P., Marbaix, E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+endocrine+and+paracrine+control+of+menstruation.">The endocrine and paracrine control of menstruation.</a> Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology. 358 (2), 197-207 (2012).</li><li>Gellersen, B., Brosens, I. A., Brosens, J. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Decidualization+of+the+human+endometrium:+mechanisms,+functions,+and+clinical+perspectives.">Decidualization of the human endometrium: mechanisms, functions, and clinical perspectives.</a> Seminars in Reproductive Medicine. 25 (6), 445-453 (2007).</li><li>Gellersen, B., Brosens, J. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cyclic+decidualization+of+the+human+endometrium+in+reproductive+health+and+failure.">Cyclic decidualization of the human endometrium in reproductive health and failure.</a> Endocrine Reviews. 35 (6), 851-905 (2014).</li><li>Li, 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=The+antiproliferative+action+of+progesterone+in+uterine+epithelium+is+mediated+by+Hand2.">The antiproliferative action of progesterone in uterine epithelium is mediated by Hand2.</a> Science. 331 (6019), 912-916 (2011).</li><li>Wetendorf, M., DeMayo, F. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+progesterone+receptor+regulates+implantation,+decidualization,+and+glandular+development+via+a+complex+paracrine+signaling+network.">The progesterone receptor regulates implantation, decidualization, and glandular development via a complex paracrine signaling network.</a> Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology. 357 (1-2), 108-118 (2012).</li><li>Boretto, 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=Development+of+organoids+from+mouse+and+human+endometrium+showing+endometrial+epithelium+physiology+and+long-term+expandability.">Development of organoids from mouse and human endometrium showing endometrial epithelium physiology and long-term expandability.</a> Development. 144 (10), 1775-1786 (2017).</li><li>Turco, M. 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We have generated human endometrial organoids comprised of epithelial and stromal cells of the endometrium without the use of exogenous scaffold materials. While it has already been shown that primary endometrial epithelial cells can form organoids6,7, these cells were embedded in a gelatinous matrix of proteins secreted by mouse sarcoma cells (see Table of Materials) to help form spheroid-like structures. In addition, endometrial stromal cells w...

The human endometrium lines the uterine cavity and serves as the first contact for the embryo during implantation. The endometrium is comprised of luminal and glandular epithelial cells, supportive stromal fibroblasts, endothelial cells and immune cells. Together, these cell types make up the endometrial tissue which is one of the most responsive tissues to sex steroid hormones1. The changes that occur during each menstrual cycle are striking. Appropriate growth and remodeling of the endometrium is required to allow for embryo implantation to occur. Aberrant response to estrogen and progesterone can result in a refractory endometrium that does not allow for successful establishment of pregnancy and can even result in diseases including endometrial neoplasia.
In order to study the hormone responses and essential changes that occur in the endometrium, cells from endometrial tissues excised from patients during surgery or endometrial biopsy have been propagated in cell culture. Endometrial stromal cells preferentially proliferate and propagate readily, and the process of differentiation induced by progesterone can be recapitulated in vitro. As a result, much has been learned during this differentiation process, termed decidualization2,3. The other major cell type in the endometrium, the luminal and glandular epithelial cells, however, do not grow well as traditional monolayers, losing polarity, becoming senescent, and having limited proliferative potential. As a result, less is known of their biology and their role in the human endometrium. As many neoplasia originate from the epithelial cells, mechanisms associated with hyperplasia or transformation to cancer cells remain to be fully defined. Furthermore, studies have established that hormone response involves the intimate paracrine actions between the epithelial and stromal cells of the endometrium4,5.
Recently, a three-dimensional (3D) organoid culture of endometrial epithelial cells was established by two independent groups6,7, which are the first reports of organoids formed from endometrial tissue. These organoids were comprised of endometrial epithelial cells embedded within a protein matrix (Table of Materials) and did not include an important hormonally responsive compartment of the endometrial endometrium, the stromal fibroblasts. As the matrix proteins can vary from lot to lot and can trigger signaling pathways that do not necessarily occur in the tissue, it would be ideal to replace the matrix proteins with components of the endometrium. In the current study, a protocol to generate scaffold-free human endometrial organoids of epithelial and stromal cells of the human endometrium is presented. The presence of stromal cells not only provides the support for epithelial cells but also provides the necessary paracrine actions that have been established to be important for endometrial hormone response4,8,9.
The new multicellular endometrial organoid offers a model system of the endometrium that is simple to generate and that incorporates both epithelial and stromal cells. These organoids can be used to study long-term hormonal changes and early events of disease such as tumorigenesis due to hormonal imbalance or exogenous insults. The complexity of these organoids could eventually be expanded to include other cell types, including endothelial and immune cells with possibly myometrial cells to truly mimic human tissue physiology.&#160;

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	<tbody>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:320px;">Agarose HS, molecular biology grade</td>
			<td style="width:229px;">Denville Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:112px;">CA3510-6</td>
			<td style="width:320px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Agarose molds</td>
			<td style="width:229px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>Z764043</td>
			<td>(https://www.microtissues.com/)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="25">
			<td height="25" style="height:25px;width:320px;">Ammonium chloride (NH4Cl)</td>
			<td style="width:229px;">Amresco</td>
			<td style="width:112px;">0621</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:320px;">&#946;-Estradiol</td>
			<td style="width:229px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:112px;">E2257</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:320px;">Collagenase, Type II, powder</td>
			<td style="width:229px;">Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:112px;">17101015</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:320px;">Dispase</td>
			<td style="width:229px;">Corning</td>
			<td>354235</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:320px;">DNase I</td>
			<td style="width:229px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>D4513</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:320px;">EDTA</td>
			<td style="width:229px;">Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:112px;">BP120-1</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:320px;">Eosin Stain</td>
			<td style="width:229px;">VWR</td>
			<td style="width:112px;">95057-848</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:320px;">Estrogen Receptor (SP1), rabbit monoclonal antibody</td>
			<td style="width:229px;">Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>RM-9101-S</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:320px;">Fluoroshield with DAPI, histology mounting medium</td>
			<td style="width:229px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:112px;">F6057</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:320px;">Hank&#39;s Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS)</td>
			<td style="width:229px;">Corning</td>
			<td style="width:112px;">21-022-CV</td>
			<td>1x without calcium, magnesium, and phenol red</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:320px;">Hematoxylin Stain Solution</td>
			<td style="width:229px;">Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:112px;">3530-32</td>
			<td>Modified Harris formulation, mercury free</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:320px;">Heparin solution</td>
			<td style="width:229px;">STEMCELL Technologies</td>
			<td style="width:112px;">07980</td>
			<td>added to MammoCult media</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:320px;">Hydrocortisone stock solution</td>
			<td style="width:229px;">STEMCELL Technologies</td>
			<td style="width:112px;">07925</td>
			<td>added to MammoCult media</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:320px;">Organoid media - Mammocult</td>
			<td style="width:229px;">STEMCELL Technologies</td>
			<td style="width:112px;">05620</td>
			<td>supplemented with 2 &#181;L/mL heparin and 5 &#181;L/mL hydrocortisone</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:320px;">Paraformaldehyde, 16% solution</td>
			<td style="width:229px;">Electron Microscopy Sciences</td>
			<td style="width:112px;">15710</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:320px;">Penicillin-Streptomycin</td>
			<td style="width:229px;">Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>15140122</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:320px;">Phosphate buffered saline, pH 7.4</td>
			<td style="width:229px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:112px;">P3813</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:320px;">Progesterone Receptor, PgR 1294, unconjugated, culture supernatant</td>
			<td style="width:229px;">Agilent Technologies</td>
			<td>M356801-2</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">protein matrix - Matrigel</td>
			<td style="width:229px;">BD Biosciences</td>
			<td style="width:112px;">356231</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:320px;">Purified mouse anti-E-cadherin antibody</td>
			<td style="width:229px;">BD Biociences</td>
			<td style="width:112px;">610181</td>
			<td>Clone 36</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:320px;">Recombinant anti-vimentin antibody [EPR3776]</td>
			<td style="width:229px;">Abcam</td>
			<td style="width:112px;">ab92547</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">RNA lysis and isolation kit</td>
			<td style="width:229px;">Zymo Research</td>
			<td>R2060</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="25">
			<td height="25" style="height:25px;width:320px;">Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3)</td>
			<td style="width:229px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:112px;">S6014</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:320px;">Testosterone</td>
			<td style="width:229px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>86500</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:320px;">Trichrome Stain</td>
			<td style="width:229px;">Abcam</td>
			<td style="width:112px;">ab150686</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:320px;">Wax film - Parafilm</td>
			<td style="width:229px;">VWR</td>
			<td>52858-000</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

generation of multicellular human primary endometrial organoids

The human endometrium is one of the most hormonally responsive tissues in the body and is essential for the establishment of pregnancy. This tissue can also become diseased and cause morbidity and even death. Model systems to study human endometrial biology have been limited to in vitro culture systems of single cell types. In addition, the epithelial cells, one of the major cell types of the endometrium, do not propagate well or retain their physiological traits in culture, and thus our understanding of endometrial biology remains limited. We have generated, for the first time, endometrial organoids that consist of both epithelial and stromal cells of the human endometrium. These organoids do not require any exogenous scaffold materials and specifically organize so that epithelial cells encompass the spheroid-like structure and become polarized with stromal cells in the center that produce and secrete collagen. Estrogen, progesterone and androgen receptors are expressed in the epithelial and stromal cells and treatment with physiological levels of estrogen and testosterone promote the organization of the organoids. This new model system can be used to study normal endometrial biology and disease in ways that were not possible before.

A schematic of the protocol is depicted in Figure 1. Uterine tissue was obtained from surgery after it was examined by pathologists. The endometrial lining was separated from the myometrium by scraping and the endometrial tissue was enzymatically digested to cells as outlined in the protocol. Epithelial and stromal cells were added into microwells in the agarose molds. After 7 days in culture, organoids were treated with E and T for an additional 7&#8722;14 days.
...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Generation of Multicellular Human Primary Endometrial Organoids at JoVE.com

Generation of Multicellular Human Primary Endometrial Organoids

A protocol to generate human primary endometrial organoids that consist of epithelial and stromal cells and retain characteristics of the native endometrial tissue is presented. This protocol describes methods from uterine tissue acquisition to the histologic processing of endometrial organoids.

The human endometrium is one of the most hormonally responsive tissues in the body and is essential for the establishment of pregnancy. This tissue can ...

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