Name: digestion of whole mouse eyes for multi-parameter flow cytometric analysis of mononuclear phagocytes
Uploaded: 2020-06-17T14:45:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Digestion of Whole Mouse Eyes for Multi-Parameter Flow Cytometric Analysis of Mononuclear Phagocytes at JoVE.com

JAL was supported by NIH grant K08EY030923; CMC was supported by a K01 grant (5K01AR060169) from the NIH National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases and a Novel Research Grant (637405) from the Lupus Research Alliance.

All procedures were approved by the Northwestern University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. C57BL/6 mice were group housed at a barrier facility at the Center for Comparative Medicine at Northwestern University (Chicago, IL). All animals were housed in 12/12 h light/dark cycle with free access to food and water.
1. Collection of ocular tissue
<ol>
	<li>Sacrifice 10-12-week-old C57BL/6J mice of either sex using regulated administration of carbon dioxide until mouse is unresponsiv...

<ol>
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Multi-parameter flow cytometry allows for the quantitative analysis of multiple cell types in a complex tissue. In this report, we describe the flow cytometric detection of mononuclear phagocyte populations, including monocytes, dendritic cells, and macrophage subsets, after laser injury in the mouse eye. Liyanage et al recently reported a similar gating strategy to detect neutrophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes, DCs, macrophages, infiltrating macrophages, and monocytes27. Our gating strategy primar...

The innate immune system includes multiple cell types that stimulate complement activation and inflammation. Innate immune cells include natural killer (NK) cells, mast cells, basophils, eosinophils, neutrophils, and mononuclear phagocytes. Mononuclear phagocytes, which are composed of monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells, have been implicated in the pathophysiology of multiple ophthalmic conditions including uveitis, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration (AMD)1. In this protocol, we will focus on the identification of mononuclear phagocytes using multi-parameter flow cytometric analysis in a mouse model of neovascular AMD2. This protocol is adaptable for mouse models of diabetic retinopathy and/or uveitis, but more extensive ocular dissection is recommended because of the systemic nature of these diseases.
Mononuclear phagocytes express overlapping cell surface markers. Long-lasting tissue resident macrophages and microglia originate from the yolk sac-derived erythromyeloid progenitor3, while recycling macrophages and dendritic cells differentiate from the bone marrow-derived macrophage dendritic cell progenitor4. Mouse cell surface markers common to monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells include CD45, CD11b5, F4/806, Cx3cr17, and the intracellular marker Iba18. In order to overcome this challenge, transcriptomic analysis of macrophages, monocytes, and dendritic cells from multiple tissues defines CD64 as a macrophage-specific cell surface marker6. Macrophages have been described in the iris, choroid, ciliary body, and optic nerve in healthy eyes3. Alternatively, dendritic cell identification is more difficult; the most specific method of dendritic cell identification requires fate mapping using the Zbtb46-GFP reporter mouse9. Independent of this reporter line, expression of CD11c and MHCII in conjunction with the absence of CD64 can identify potential dendritic cells6,10. Dendritic cells have been identified in cornea, conjunctiva, iris, and choroid in normal eyes11. Microglia are specialized macrophages located in the retina, protected by the blood-retinal barrier, and derived from yolk sac progenitor cells12. As a result, retinal microglia can be differentiated from monocyte-derived macrophages by their dim levels of CD45 expression13 and high levels of Tmem119, which is available as a flow cytometry antibody14. Upon microglia activation, however, CD45 can be up-regulated15 and Tmem119 may be down-regulated3, demonstrating the complexity of microglia biology and this is likely relevant in both AMD and its mouse model. Finally, monocytes can be divided into at least two subtypes, including classical and non-classical. Classical monocytes display CCR2+Ly6ChighCX3CR1low expression, and non-classical monocytes demonstrate CCR2-Ly6ClowCX3CR1high markers5.
Due to the necessity of the quantitative analysis of marker expression, i.e., high versus low/dim levels, multi-parameter flow cytometry is the ideal method for discrimination between monocytes, macrophages, microglia, and dendritic cells in the eye and other tissues. Additional advantages include the identification of sub-populations, the ability to use fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) to sort cell populations for transcriptomic or proteomic analysis, and fate mapping. The major disadvantage of multi-parameter flow cytometry is the lack of tissue architecture. This can be overcome by the ophthalmic dissection into the various ocular subcompartments: cornea, conjunctiva, iris, lens, retina, and choroid-sclera complex. Additionally, confirmatory immunofluorescence imaging can be performed, but is limited by the number of markers and lack of robust quantitation.
Genome wide association studies have linked multiple complement genes with AMD16. Complement activation leads to anaphylatoxin production, leukocyte recruitment, and resultant inflammation. In complement receptor deficient mice, laser injury reduces mononuclear phagocyte recruitment and laser-induced choroidal neovascularization (CNV) area17. Similarly, the C-C motif chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) knockout mouse, which is deficient in monocyte recruitment to the tissue, demonstrates both decreased mononuclear phagocyte recruitment and laser-induced CNV area18. These data link complement and mononuclear phagocytes with experimental CNV and possibly neovascular AMD. In support of this association, complement receptors are dysregulated on peripheral blood monocytes in patients with neovascular AMD19,20. These data demonstrate a strong association between AMD and mononuclear phagocytes.
In this manuscript, we will use the experimental laser induced CNV model to characterize the mononuclear phagocyte populations in the mouse eye using multi-parameter flow cytometry. Laser-induced CNV is the standard mouse model of neovascular AMD, which demonstrated the efficacy of current first line neovascular AMD therapy21. This protocol will describe enucleation of mouse eyes, ocular dissection, digestion into a single cell suspension, antibody staining, determination of laser voltages using single color controls, and gating strategy using fluorescence minus one (FMO) controls. For a detailed description of the laser-induced CNV model, please see a previous publication22. Using this protocol, we will define microglia, monocytes, dendritic cells, and macrophage populations. Furthermore, we will use MHCII and CD11c to further define macrophage subsets within the laser induced CNV model.

<table>
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>0.6 ml microcentrifuge tubes</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>05-408-120</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>1.7 ml microcentrifuge tubes</td>
			<td>Costar</td>
			<td>3620</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>10 ml pipettes</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>431031</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>15 ml conicals</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher</td>
			<td>339650</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>1x HBSS, 500 ml</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>14025-092</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2.5 ml syringe</td>
			<td>Henke Sass Wolf</td>
			<td>7886-1</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>20% paraformaldehyde solution</td>
			<td>Electron Microscopy Sciences</td>
			<td>15713-S</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>25 ml pipettes</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>431032</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>30 G needle</td>
			<td>Exel</td>
			<td>26437</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>3ml luer lock syringe</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>14955457</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>41 x 41 x 8 mm polystyrene weigh dish</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>08-732-112</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>50 ml conicals</td>
			<td>Falcon</td>
			<td>352070</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>96-well, U-bottom assay plate without lid</td>
			<td>Falcon</td>
			<td>353910</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Amine reactive beads</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher</td>
			<td>A10628</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Analysis software</td>
			<td>FlowJo</td>
			<td>v 10</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Anti-rat and anti-hamster Ig kappa bead set</td>
			<td>BD Biosciences</td>
			<td>552845</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>C57BL/6J mice</td>
			<td>Jackson Laboratory</td>
			<td>664</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cell counter</td>
			<td>Invitrogen</td>
			<td>AMQAX1000</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cell counter slides</td>
			<td>Invitrogen</td>
			<td>C10283</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Compensation beads</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher</td>
			<td>01-1111-42</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Count beads</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher</td>
			<td>01-1234-42</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Curved forceps</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>16-100-123</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Digestion enzyme</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>5401020001</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dissecting microscope</td>
			<td>National Optical and Scientific Instruments, Inc.</td>
			<td>DC3-420T</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dissociation tubes</td>
			<td>Miltenyi Biotec</td>
			<td>130-096-334</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DNase</td>
			<td>Roche</td>
			<td>10104159001</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Electronic dissociator</td>
			<td>Miltenyi Biotec</td>
			<td>130-095-937</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>FACS Diva software</td>
			<td>BD Biosciences</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fc block, rat anti-mouse CD16/CD32</td>
			<td>BD Biosciences</td>
			<td>553142</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fine forceps</td>
			<td>Integra Miltex</td>
			<td>17035X</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Flow buffer</td>
			<td>Miltenyi Biotec</td>
			<td>130-091-221</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Flow cytometer</td>
			<td>BD Biosciences</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Flow tubes</td>
			<td>Falcon</td>
			<td>352008</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Hamster anti-mouse CD11c BV421</td>
			<td>BD Biosciences</td>
			<td>562782</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Ice bucket</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>07-210-123</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Live/Dead dye</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher</td>
			<td>65-0866-14</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Lysing solution, 10x solution</td>
			<td>BD Biosciences</td>
			<td>555899</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Micro titer tube and rack</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>02-681-380</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Mouse anti-mouse CD64 PE</td>
			<td>BioLegend</td>
			<td>139304</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Mouse anti-mouse NK1.1 PECF594</td>
			<td>BD Biosciences</td>
			<td>562864</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>P1000 pipet tips</td>
			<td>Denville Scientific</td>
			<td>P2404</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>P1000 pipettor</td>
			<td>Gilson</td>
			<td>FA10006M</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>P2 pipet tips</td>
			<td>eppendorf</td>
			<td>22491806</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>P2 pipettor</td>
			<td>Gilson</td>
			<td>FA10001M</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>P20 pipettor</td>
			<td>Gilson</td>
			<td>FA10003M</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>P200 pipet tips</td>
			<td>Denville Scientific</td>
			<td>P2401</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>P200 pipettor</td>
			<td>Gilson</td>
			<td>FA10005M</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Pipet man</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>FB14955202</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rat anti-mouse B220 PECF594</td>
			<td>BD Biosciences</td>
			<td>562313</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rat anti-mouse CD11b APC-Cy7</td>
			<td>BD Biosciences</td>
			<td>557657</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rat anti-mouse CD19 AlexaFluor 700</td>
			<td>BD Biosciences</td>
			<td>557958</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rat anti-mouse CD19 PE</td>
			<td>BD Biosciences</td>
			<td>553786</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rat anti-mouse CD4 PECF594</td>
			<td>BD Biosciences</td>
			<td>562314</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rat anti-mouse CD45 FITC</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher</td>
			<td>11-0451-82</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rat anti-mouse CD45 PE-Cy7</td>
			<td>BD Biosciences</td>
			<td>552848</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rat anti-mouse CD8 PECF594</td>
			<td>BD Biosciences</td>
			<td>562315</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rat anti-mouse Ly6C</td>
			<td>BD Biosciences</td>
			<td>561085</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rat anti-mouse Ly6G PECF594</td>
			<td>BD Biosciences</td>
			<td>562700</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rat anti-mouse MHC II AlexaFluor 700</td>
			<td>BioLegend</td>
			<td>107622</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rat anti-mouse Siglec F PECF594</td>
			<td>BD Biosciences</td>
			<td>562757</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rat anti-mouse Tim4 AlexaFluor647</td>
			<td>BD Biosciences</td>
			<td>564178</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Shaking incubator</td>
			<td>Labnet</td>
			<td>311DS</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Spring scissors</td>
			<td>Fine Science Tools</td>
			<td>15024-10</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sterile cell strainer, 40 mm nylon mesh</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>22363547</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sterile water, 500 ml</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>A12873-01</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Swinging bucket centrifuge</td>
			<td>eppendorf</td>
			<td>5910 R</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Trypan blue, 0.4% solution</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>15250061</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

digestion of whole mouse eyes for multi-parameter flow cytometric analysis of mononuclear phagocytes

The innate immune system plays important roles in ocular pathophysiology including uveitis, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration. Innate immune cells, specifically mononuclear phagocytes, express overlapping cell surface markers, which makes identifying these populations a challenge. Multi-parameter flow cytometry allows for the simultaneous, quantitative analysis of multiple cell surface markers in order to differentiate monocytes, macrophages, microglia, and dendritic cells in mouse eyes. This protocol describes the enucleation of whole mouse eyes, ocular dissection, digestion into a single cell suspension, and staining of the single cell suspension for myeloid cell markers. Additionally, we explain the proper methods for determining voltages using single color controls and for delineating positive gates using fluorescence minus one controls. The major limitation of multi-parameter flow cytometry is the absence of tissue architecture. This limitation can be overcome by multi-parameter flow cytometry of individual ocular compartments or complimentary immunofluorescence staining. However, immunofluorescence is limited by its lack of quantitative analysis and reduced number of fluorophores on most microscopes. We describe the use of multi-parametric flow cytometry to provide highly quantitative analysis of mononuclear phagocytes in laser-induced choroidal neovascularization. Additionally, multi-parameter flow cytometry can be used for the identification of macrophage subsets, fate mapping, and cell sorting for transcriptomic or proteomic studies.

Figure 1 showed uncompensated frequency histograms for the SCCs and cells for the red laser: Alexa647, Alexa700, and APC-Cy7. In Figure 1A, the magenta line depicted the peak of the SCC for Alexa647, while the cyan line showed&#160;the intended 0.5 Log difference. Notice that the peak in Alexa700 and APC-Cy7 was to the left (less bright) of the cyan line. Also note that the cells were all to the left of the magenta line. Any cells to the right of the SCC peak we...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Digestion of Whole Mouse Eyes for Multi-Parameter Flow Cytometric Analysis of Mononuclear Phagocytes at JoVE.com

Digestion of Whole Mouse Eyes for Multi-Parameter Flow Cytometric Analysis of Mononuclear Phagocytes

This protocol provides a method to digest whole eyes into a single cell suspension for the purpose of multi-parameter flow cytometric analysis in order to identify specific ocular mononuclear phagocytic populations, including monocytes, microglia, macrophages, and dendritic cells.

The innate immune system plays important roles in ocular pathophysiology including uveitis, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration. ...

Research

JoVE Journal

Immunology and Infection

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Digestion of the Murine Liver for a Flow Cytometric Analysis of Lymphatic Endothelial Cells

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