Name: injection of hydrogel biomaterial scaffolds to the brain after stroke
Uploaded: 2020-10-01T13:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Injection of Hydrogel Biomaterial Scaffolds to The Brain After Stroke at JoVE.com

We like to acknowledge the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke for funding (R01NS079691).

The experiments were conducted in accordance with IUCAC at Duke University and University of California Los Angeles. 8 to 12-week-old male C57Bl/6J mice were used in this study. The animals were housed under controlled temperature (22 &#177; 2 &#176;C), with a 12 h light-dark cycle period and access to pelleted food and water&#160;ad libitum.Analgesia and sedation protocols are described as approved by the IUCAC but might differ from protocols used in other laboratories.
Animals may be prematu...

<ol>
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T., Segura, T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Delivery+of+iPS-NPCs+to+the+stroke+cavity+within+a+hyaluronic+acid+matrix+promotes+the+differentiation+of+transplanted+cells.">Delivery of iPS-NPCs to the stroke cavity within a hyaluronic acid matrix promotes the differentiation of transplanted cells.</a> Advance Functional Materials. 24, 7053-7062 (2015).</li><li>Nih, L. R., 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=Engineered+HA+hydrogel+for+stem+cell+transplantation+in+the+brain:+Biocompatibility+data+using+a+design+of+experiment+approach.">Engineered HA hydrogel for stem cell transplantation in the brain: Biocompatibility data using a design of experiment approach.</a> Data in Brief. 10, 202-209 (2016).</li><li>Carmichael, S. T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+3+Rs+of+Stroke+Biology:+Radial,+Relayed,+and+Regenerative.">The 3 Rs of Stroke Biology: Radial, Relayed, and Regenerative.</a> Neurotherapeutics. 13, 348-359 (2016).</li><li>Caicco, M. J., Cooke, M. J., Wang, Y., Tuladhar, A., Morshead, C. M., Shoichet, M. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+hydrogel+composite+system+for+sustained+epi-cortical+delivery+of+Cyclosporin+A+to+the+brain+for+treatment+of+stroke.">A hydrogel composite system for sustained epi-cortical delivery of Cyclosporin A to the brain for treatment of stroke.</a> Journal of Controlled Release. 166 (3), 197-202 (2013).</li><li>Moshayedi, 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=Systematic+optimization+of+an+engineered+hydrogel+allows+for+selective+control+of+human+neural+stem+cell+survival+and+differentiation+after+transplantation+in+the+stroke+brain.">Systematic optimization of an engineered hydrogel allows for selective control of human neural stem cell survival and differentiation after transplantation in the stroke brain.</a> Biomaterials. 105, 145-155 (2016).</li><li>Lu, 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=Hemodynamic+effects+of+intraoperative+anesthetics+administration+in+photothrombotic+stroke+model:+a+study+using+laser+speckle+imaging.">Hemodynamic effects of intraoperative anesthetics administration in photothrombotic stroke model: a study using laser speckle imaging.</a> BMC Neuroscience. 18 (10), (2017).</li><li>Wiersma, A. M., Winship, I. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Induction+of+Photothrombotic+Stroke+in+the+Sensorimotor+Cortex+of+Rats+and+Preparation+of+Tissue+for+Analysis+of+Stroke+Volume+and+Topographical+Cortical+Localization+of+Ischemic+Infarct.">Induction of Photothrombotic Stroke in the Sensorimotor Cortex of Rats and Preparation of Tissue for Analysis of Stroke Volume and Topographical Cortical Localization of Ischemic Infarct.</a> Bio-protocol. 8 (10), (2018).</li><li>Liang, 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=Region-specific+and+activity-dependent+regulation+of+SVZ+neurogenesis+and+recovery+after+stroke.">Region-specific and activity-dependent regulation of SVZ neurogenesis and recovery after stroke.</a> PNAS. 116 (27), 13621-13630 (2019).</li><li>Payne, S. L., Anandakumaran, P. N., Varga, B. V., Morshead, C. M., Nagy, A., Shoichet, M. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=In+vitro+maturation+of+human+iPSC-derived+neuroepithelial+cells+influences+transplant+survival+in+the+stroke-injured+rat+brain.">In vitro maturation of human iPSC-derived neuroepithelial cells influences transplant survival in the stroke-injured rat brain.</a> Tissue Engineering Part A. 24, 351-360 (2018).</li><li>Lee, I. 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Here we demonstrate an easily reproducible, minimally invasive, permanent stroke model and describe how to inject a biomaterial into the infarct five days after stroke. The use of the photothrombotic dye Rose Bengal and a 520 nm collimated laser connected to the stereotaxic device gives us the ability to position the stroke at the motor cortex of the mouse with enhanced precision. Five days after stroke, the location of the infarct is visible by eye at the center of irradiation, 2.0 mm medio-lateral to the bregma. Hydrog...

Stroke is the leading cause of disability and the fifth-leading cause of death in the United States1. Approximately 87% of all strokes are ischemic, while a majority of the remaining 13% are hemorrhagic2. An ischemic stroke is defined as the blockage of blood flow in an artery to the surrounding tissue. This occlusion results in oxygen deprivation and subsequent necrosis that often leads to permanent disability in surviving patients. While there has been a decrease in the mortality rate of stroke3, its prevalence is expected to increase to 3.4 million people by 20304. This increase in disabled survivors and consequent economic burden has led to a push for stroke research that focuses on mechanisms of neural repair. Following stroke there is an inflammatory period that leads to the formation of a scar that prevents the necrotic region from expanding. The region surrounding the necrotic core is termed &#8220;peri-infarct&#8221; and there is a strong evidence that the plasticity in this region, which includes increased angiogenesis, neurogenesis, and axonal sprouting, is directly linked to the observed recovery in animal models and humans5. Since there are no in vitro models that can properly replicate the complex interactions following stroke, animal models are essential for stroke research.
There are several in vivo models that can be used to produce ischemic stroke. One of the most common models used in mice is middle cerebral artery occlusion, or MCAo, through distal or proximal (via intra-arterial filament) occlusion. The proximal model, also known as filament MCAo (fMCAo), typically results in large ischemic strokes that encompass anywhere from 5% to 50% of the cerebral hemisphere, dependent upon number of factors6. In these models, a suture or filament is advanced from the internal carotid artery into the base of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) and kept in place for a specific period of time. This method for occlusion, which can be made temporary or permanent, produces an infarct that is centered in the striatum and may or may not involve overlying cortex6. The resulting stroke size is highly variable, and imaging techniques, such as laser doppler, are required to confirm the effectiveness of the procedure in each mouse. Intra-arterial or intra-luminal filament occlusion that lasts greater than 30 minutes produces strokes at the larger end of the size range. Some investigators have focused on shorter filament occlusion times, which require substantial experimental focus and lab validation7. Filament MCAo models in mice follow similar stages of cell death, ischemic progression, and formation of a peri-infarct region as seen in human stroke cases; however, the larger strokes more closely resemble the disease state of malignant cerebral infarctions, which are less common, less treatable human strokes6. Meanwhile, distal MCA occlusion requires a more involved surgery and craniectomy. In this model, the distal part of the MCA that runs along the surface of the brain is directly occluded with a suture tie or cauterization. In some variations of the technique, the carotid arteries are unilaterally or transiently-bilaterally occluded. A benefit of the distal MCAo is that it produces a cortical-based stroke that is less variable in size than the filament model. However, the distal model produces poorer behavioral output due to transection of the external carotid artery (ECA), which is also a concern with fMCAo6.
An alternative stroke model that is known for being less invasive is the photothrombotic (PT) model. The PT model results in a well-defined location of ischemia and is associated with a high survival rate8. The technique relies on a photosensitive dye injected intraperitoneally that allows for the intravascular photo-oxidation simply by irradiating the desired tissue with a light or laser9. Upon excitation, oxygen radicals are formed that cause endothelial damage, which activates platelet aggregation and clot formation in the irradiated area8,9. The tight control over stroke size and location, as well as high reproducibility of the PT model, makes it ideal for studying biomaterials. While precision is made possible using a laser and stereotaxic coordinates, there are some disadvantages that may make this model less ideal for few studies. Unlike the fMCAo model, the PT stroke model cannot be reperfused. Therefore, materials for investigating neuroprotective agents specific to damages following reperfusion or the mechanisms following reperfusion would not be useful here8. Additionally, due to the microvascular insult of the PT model, relatively small ischemic penumbra is seen. Instead, local vasogenic edema occurs, which is uncharacteristic for human stroke, making this model undesirable for preclinical drug studies focused on the peri-infarct area6,8.
The overall goal of biomaterial strategies in stroke is to either deliver bioactive agents or to act as a surrogate extracellular matrix for brain tissue growth. One strategy that we will explore using our methods is to deliver hydrogel directly into the stroke core, as opposed to the peri-infarct tissue where many current cell therapies are delivered10. The rationale for this approach is that delivery into the necrotic tissue found in the core will avoid disrupting the surrounding healthy or recovering tissue. We assume diffusion of any active agents included within the biomaterial will be able to reach the peri-infarct from the core, especially since we find that delivery of hydrogel biomaterials reduces the thickness of the glial scar11. This is important since the peri-infarct region has been shown to exhibit neuroplasticity after stroke, making it an attractive target. Furthermore, the delivery of a surrogate matrix to the stroke core can be loaded with angiogenic12 or neurogenic13 factors to guide the formation of new tissue, as well as cells for the delivery14. Cell delivery is greatly enhanced by using a matrix because it protects cells from the harsh injection forces and local environment present during delivery, as well as encourages differentiation and engraftment15.
These injectable therapeutic biomaterials have clinical relevance in stroke applications, as there are currently no medical therapies that stimulate neuronal recovery after stroke. The underlying neural circuits involved in recovery lie in brain tissue that is adjacent to the stroke core16, while the stroke core itself is devoid of viable neural tissue. We anticipate that delivering a biomaterial into the necrotic stroke core has potential to stimulate the adjacent tissue toward regenerative processes through a number of mechanisms previously mentioned, including depot release of growth factors13, stimulation of tissue in-growth and promotion of recovering brain tissue development11,12, alteration of immune responses17, and delivery of stem cell-derived therapeutics14,18. However, to effectively study the possibility of these applications, a consistent and reproducible method for inducing stroke and injecting biomaterials is needed. The PT stroke model uses techniques that offer precise control over the orientation and location of the stroke. A laser attached to the stereotaxic device guides orientations, and pumps attached to the stereotaxic devices control the injection rate of the material without the need for additional forms of imaging. Therefore, we have chosen to describe the methods for performing a PT stroke in the motor cortexes of mice and for injecting biomaterials into the stroke core. Here, we use microporous annealed particle (MAP) hydrogels as the biomaterial for injection with no added cells or growth factors. Additionally, we explain how to successfully retrieve the brain with intact biomaterial, and we discuss immunochemistry assays used to analyze the stroke outcome with and without injection of biomaterials.

<table>
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>10% Normal Goat Serum</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>100504-028</td>
			<td>For blocking buffer</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2-ply alcohol pre pad, Sterile, Medium</td>
			<td>Medline</td>
			<td>MDS090735</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>25uL Hamilton Syringe 702RN, no needle</td>
			<td>Fishcer Scientific</td>
			<td>14824663</td>
			<td>Syringes used to inject biomaterials</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>25uL Positive displacement pipette</td>
			<td>Gilson</td>
			<td>M-25</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2x Beam Expander, 400-650nm</td>
			<td>Thorlabs</td>
			<td>GBE02-A</td>
			<td>Laser beam expander</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Adjustable Stage Platform</td>
			<td>Kopf Instruments</td>
			<td>901</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Anti-Glucose Transporter GLUT1 antibody, rabbit</td>
			<td>Abcam</td>
			<td>ab113435</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Anti-Iba1 Antibody, goat</td>
			<td>abcam</td>
			<td>ab5076</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>BD Vacutainer Safety-Lok Blood Collection Sets. 25G, 12&#34;</td>
			<td>Medsupply</td>
			<td>367294</td>
			<td>For perfusions</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>BKF12- Matte Black Aluminum Foil</td>
			<td>Thorlabs</td>
			<td>BKF12</td>
			<td>To cover anything that is reflective when using laser.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Bone Iris Mini Scissors - 3-1/2&#34;</td>
			<td>Sklar surgical instruments</td>
			<td>64-2035</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>C57BL/6 Mice</td>
			<td>Jackson Laboratory</td>
			<td>000664</td>
			<td>8-12 weeks of age</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cage Assembly Rob</td>
			<td>Thorlabs</td>
			<td>ER3-P4</td>
			<td>3&#34; Long, diameter 6mm, 4 pack - for attaching laser to sterotax</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Carbon Steel Burrs -0.5mm Diameter</td>
			<td>Fine Science Tools</td>
			<td>19007-05</td>
			<td>For creating burr hole</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Chromium(III) potassium sulfate dodecahydrate</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>EM1.01036.0250</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Compact Controller for pigtailed lasers</td>
			<td>Thorlabs</td>
			<td>CLD1010LP</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cotton Swabs</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>89031-288</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>CP 25 pipette tips</td>
			<td>Gilson</td>
			<td>F148012</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Donkey anti-goat IgG H&#38;L (488)</td>
			<td>abcam</td>
			<td>ab150129</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Donkey Anti-rabbit IgG H&#38;L (647)</td>
			<td>abcam</td>
			<td>ab150075</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Donkey Anti-rat IgG H&#38;L (555)</td>
			<td>abcam</td>
			<td>ab150154</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>EMS DPX Mountant</td>
			<td>Elecron Microscopy Sciences</td>
			<td>13512</td>
			<td>Mounting solution for slides</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>EMS Gelatin Powder Type A 300 Bloom</td>
			<td>Electron Microscopy Sciences</td>
			<td>16564</td>
			<td>For gelatin coating slides</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>EMS Paraformaldehyde, Granular</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>100504-162</td>
			<td>For making 45 PFA</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>ESD Worstation kit</td>
			<td>Elmstat</td>
			<td>WSKK5324SB</td>
			<td>Need for setting up the laser</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fiber Bench Wall Plate, unthreaded</td>
			<td>Thorlabs</td>
			<td>HCA3</td>
			<td>Need for connecting laser to Kopf shaft</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>FiberPort</td>
			<td>Thorlabs</td>
			<td>PAF-X-5-A</td>
			<td>FC/APC&#38; APC, f=4.6mm, 350-700nm, diameter 0.75mm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fine Scissors - straight/sharp-blunt/10cm</td>
			<td>Fine Science Tools</td>
			<td>14028-10</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>GFAP Antibody, rat</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>13-0300</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Heating Plate</td>
			<td>Kopf Instruments</td>
			<td>HP-4M</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>ImmEdge Hydrophobic Barrier Pen</td>
			<td>Vector Laboratories</td>
			<td>H-4000</td>
			<td>For staining slides</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>IMPAC 6-Integrated Multi Patient Anesthesia Center</td>
			<td>VetEquip</td>
			<td>901808</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Iodine Prep Pads</td>
			<td>Medx Supple</td>
			<td>MED MDS093917H</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Jewlers Forceps #5</td>
			<td>GFS chemicals</td>
			<td>46085</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Laser Safety Glasses</td>
			<td>Thorlabs</td>
			<td>LG10B</td>
			<td>Amber Lenses, 35% Visible light (googles versions available too)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>M27-1084 Powerful LED Dual Goose-neck</td>
			<td>United Scope</td>
			<td>LED-11C</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Medical USP Grade Oxygen</td>
			<td>Airgas</td>
			<td>OX USP250</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Miltex Adson Dressing Forceps, Disecting-grade</td>
			<td>Intefra Miltex</td>
			<td>V96-118</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Mini Cord/Cordless Small Animal Trimmer</td>
			<td>Harvard aparatus</td>
			<td>72-6110</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Mini-pump variable flow</td>
			<td>Thomas Scientific</td>
			<td>70730-064</td>
			<td>Pump for perfusions</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Mouse Brain Matrices, Coronal Slices, 1mm</td>
			<td>Kent Scientific</td>
			<td>RBMA-200c</td>
			<td>For TTC slices</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Mouse Gas Anethesia Head Holder</td>
			<td>Kopf Instruments</td>
			<td>923-B</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Nanojet Control Box</td>
			<td>Chemyx</td>
			<td>10050</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Nanojet pump header</td>
			<td>Chemxy</td>
			<td>10051</td>
			<td>Attach to stereotaxic device for injecting biomaterial</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Needle RN 30G PT STY 3, 0.5 inch</td>
			<td>Fishcer Scientific</td>
			<td>NC9459562</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Non-rupture ear bars 60&#186;</td>
			<td>Kopf Instruments</td>
			<td>922</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>PBS buffer pH 7.4</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>97062 338</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Pigtaled laser 520 nm, 100mW, 5G Pin</td>
			<td>Thorlabs</td>
			<td>LP520-MF100</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Positive charge glass slides</td>
			<td>Hareta</td>
			<td>AHS90-WH</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Power engergy meter</td>
			<td>Thorlabs</td>
			<td>PM100D</td>
			<td>Used to measure your mW laser output</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Puralube Vet Ointment</td>
			<td>Dr. Foster Smith</td>
			<td>9N-76855</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rectal Probe Mouse</td>
			<td>kopf Instruments</td>
			<td>Ret-3-ISO</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rose Bengal Dye 95%</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>330000-5G</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Shaft Modified 8-32 threaded hole 1/2&#34; depth</td>
			<td>Kopf Instruments</td>
			<td>1770-02</td>
			<td>For connecting laser to sterotaxic device</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Slim photodiode power sensor</td>
			<td>Thorlabs</td>
			<td>S130VC</td>
			<td>Used with power energy meter</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>SM1-Threaed 30 mm Cage Plate 0.35&#34; thick 2 Retaining</td>
			<td>Thorlabs</td>
			<td>CP02</td>
			<td>For connecting laser expander</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sol-M U-100 Insuline syringe with 1/2 unit markings 0.5 mL</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>10002-726</td>
			<td>To inject rose bengal</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>StainTray Slide Staining System</td>
			<td>Simport Scientific</td>
			<td>M920-2</td>
			<td>For staining slides</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sterotaxic device</td>
			<td>Kopf Instruments</td>
			<td>940</td>
			<td>Small Animal Stereotaxic Instrument</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Student Adson Forceps -1x2 teeth</td>
			<td>Fine Science Tools</td>
			<td>91127-12</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Student Fine Forceps - straight/broad Shanks</td>
			<td>Fine Science Tools</td>
			<td>91113-10</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Temperature Controller</td>
			<td>Kopf Instruments</td>
			<td>TCAT-2LV</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tissue-Tek OCT compound</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>25608-930</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Triton X-100</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>97063-864</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Upper Bracket Clamp</td>
			<td>Kopf Instruments</td>
			<td>1770-c</td>
			<td>For connecting laser to sterotaxic device</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Vetbond Tissue Adhessive 3mL</td>
			<td>Santa Cruz Biotechnology</td>
			<td>sc-361931</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Vogue Professional My Manicurist</td>
			<td>Bargin Source</td>
			<td>6400</td>
			<td>For Burrs</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>VWR Bead Sterilizers</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>75999-328</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tissue Tek OCT compound</td>
			<td>Sakura</td>
			<td>4583</td>
			<td>For tissue embeding</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

injection of hydrogel biomaterial scaffolds to the brain after stroke

Stroke is the leading cause of disability and the fifth-leading cause of death in the United States. Approximately 87% of all strokes are ischemic strokes and are defined as the sudden blockage of a vessel supplying blood to the brain. Within minutes of the blockage, cells begin to die and result in irreparable tissue damage. Current therapeutic treatments focus on clot removal or lysis to allow for the reperfusion and prevent more severe brain damage. Although transient brain plasticity may salvage some of the damaged tissue over time, significant fractions of patients are left with neurological deficits that will never resolve. There is a lack of therapeutic options to treat neurological deficits caused by stroke, emphasizing the need to develop new strategies to treat this growing patient population. Injectable biomaterials are currently being designed to enhance brain plasticity and improve endogenous repair through the delivery of active agents or stem cells. One method to test these approaches is to utilize a rodent stroke model, inject the biomaterial into the stroke core, and assess repair. Knowing the precise location of the stroke core is imperative for the accurate treatment after stroke, therefore, a stroke model that results in a predictable stroke location is preferable to avoid the need for imaging prior to injection. The following protocol will cover how to induce a photothrombotic stroke, how to inject a hydrogel in a controlled and precise manner, and how to extract and cryosection the brain while keeping the biomaterial intact. In addition, we will highlight how these same hydrogel materials can be used for the co-delivery of stem cells. This protocol can be generalized to the use of other injectable biomaterials into the stroke core.

The aim of this method was to demonstrate how to inject biomaterials into the brain after stroke. A photothrombotic model with rose bengal and a 520 nm laser was used for controlled orientation of the stroke lesion in both size and location. Five days after stroke the infarct could be visualized during surgery (Figure 1B) and by TTC and imaging IHC stained slides (Figure 2). An increase in laser diameter with a 2x lens lead to a visual increase in the stroke les...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Injection of Hydrogel Biomaterial Scaffolds to The Brain After Stroke at JoVE.com

Injection of Hydrogel Biomaterial Scaffolds to The Brain After Stroke

Stroke is a global issue with minimal treatment options and no current clinical therapy for regenerating the lost brain tissue. Here we describe methods for creating precise photothrombotic stroke in the motor cortex of rodents and subsequent injection of hydrogel biomaterials to study their effects on tissue regeneration after stroke.

Stroke is the leading cause of disability and the fifth-leading cause of death in the United States. Approximately 87% of all strokes are ischemic strokes ...

The reproducible injection of hydrogel scaffolds into a rodent ischemic stroke model allows for the study of how materials and other deliver therapeutics affect brain repair, regeneration and behavioral improvement. The main advantages of using the photothrombotic stroke model to study brain material interactions are the reproducible location and size. Which allow injection of materials into the stroke core without imaging.The photothrombotic stroke model is designed to be a relevant model for ischemic stroke, in a region of the brain, the motor cortex, that is commonly affected by stroke in humans. And to provide a relevant behavioral readout for stroke, which is motor control of the limb. So as to evaluate a candidate therapeutic, like a biopolymer hydrogel.Confirm a lack of response to toe pinch in an anesthetized mouse. Then weigh the mouse to determine how much Rose bengal dye to inject, and secure it to a stereotaxic device equipped with a laser. After shaving and disinfecting the surgical area, use forceps to tent the skin between the ears and eyes, and insert a blade into the raised skin to make a lateral one to two centimeter midline incision in the skin.Separate the skin and press the forceps lightly onto the parietal bones to locate the bregma. Use a surgical marker to label the bregma with a dot. And wearing laser safety goggles, move the laser over the skull of the mouse, fixing the stereotaxic device at a 90 degree angle.Select the 10 milli watt preset and turn on the laser. Adjust to the X and Y axis until the laser is directly over the bregma. Reset the X and Y on the digital display console, and move the laser 1.8 millimeters left of the bregma.Bring the laser as close to the skull as possible without letting the laser touch the skull. When the laser is in position, turn it off and use a disposable 29 gauge needle to intra peritoneally inject the appropriate volume of Rose bengal dye. Immediately start a timer to allow the dye to circulate systemically for seven minutes.While the dye is circulating, select the preset for 40 milliwatts without turning on the laser. When the timer goes off, turn on the laser and set the timer for 13 minutes. When the timer goes off again, change the laser back to 10 milliwatts.Mark this spot with the surgical marker and turn off the laser. Lift the laser and unlock it from the 90 degree angle, so it can be moved away from the mouse. Use cotton to apply sterile saline to the surgical area as necessary, and drill at the mark in small bursts, perpendicular to the surface of the skull.Place a small wipe next to the mouse and use the forceps to pull the skin close together and upward. Dab any large drops of surgical glue at the end of the tip on the wipe, and despairingly apply surgical glue to the skin. Hold skin together with forceps for 10 seconds, then continue to apply glue until no additional openings are visible in the skin.For hydro gel injection into the stroke region, attach injection pumps to the stereotaxic device. Then set the flow rate to one microliter per minute and volume to the desired injection amount in microliters. Reopen the incision over the brain, and use saline soaked cotton to clean any debris from the skull.A white, yellow circle of tissue, and the burr hole from the drill will be visible. Lock the injection pump at 90 degrees over the mouse. Clean the glass syringe with sterile saline.And remove the needle. Use a 25 microliter positive displacement pipette to back load the syringe with 10 microliters of hydrogel, and use the plunger to push the gel all the way to the front of the syringe. Reassemble the syringe.And continue pushing until the gel visibly exudes from the needle. Load the syringe onto the pump, and move the pump and the X and Y directions to orient the syringe over the burr hole. Move the pump in the Z direction until the needle touches the top of the hole.And reset the Z on the digital display console. Move the syringe 0.75 millimeters in the Z direction and press start on the pump console to inject four to six microliters of the hydrogel at a one microliter per minute flow rate. When all of the hydro gel has been delivered, set a five minute timer to allow the gel to begin cross-linking.After five minutes, turn the Z knob to slowly pull up the syringe. When the needle is far enough away from the skull, unlock and remove the pump. Then close the skin over the skull, and place the mouse in a clean cage with monitoring until it has recovered from the anesthesia.At the appropriate experimental end point, use blunt thin forceps to carefully remove pieces of the skull to expose the brain. Using small surgical scissors to cut away the bone over the stroke site as necessary. After harvesting, place the brain in 10 to 15 milliliters of 4%para formaldehyde overnight for 16 to 24 hours, before placing the tissue into 30%sucrose.The brain will be ready for cryo section when it sinks to the bottom of the tube. Five days after a stroke induction, the infarct can be visualized during surgery and by TTC and immunohistochemically stained slides imaging. An increase in the laser diameter with a two X lens leads to a visual increase in stroke lesion that spans over 2.5 millimeters versus a single one millimeter section using the laser only.Hyaluronic acid based hydrogel microparticle injection into the stroke lesion five days after a stroke, results in the formation of micro and annealed particles with a porous scaffold that facilitates cell migration into the stroke core. The tissue that are as scaffolds can be retrieved and used for molecular cellular or tissue level analysis. So it's a single cell RNA-seq.Flow cytometry or clarity. Also behavioral analysis can be performed to assess behavioral improvement. This approach delivers a candidate therapeutic, a biopolymer hydrogel, into the stroke cavity.Which is a potential cavity in stroke. An area of dead tissue that can accept a transplant. Additionally, this cavity is adjacent to the area of the brain that undergoes the most plasticity after stroke, the peri infarct tissue.So a candidate therapeutic like a biopolymer hydrogel can deliver cells or small molecules to the part of the brain that is really the target for recovery and stroke.

injection-of-hydrogel-biomaterial-scaffolds-to-the-brain-after-stroke

Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

Methods for Patch Clamp Capacitance Recordings from the Calyx

We demonstrate the basic techniques for presynaptic patch clamp recording at the calyx of Held, a mammalian central nervous system nerve terminal. Electrical recordings from the presynaptic terminal allow the measurement of action potentials, calcium channel currents, vesicle fusion (exocytosis) and subsequent membrane uptake (endocytosis). The fusion of vesicles containing neurotransmitter causes the vesicle membrane to be added to the cell membrane of the calyx. This increase in the amount of cell membrane is measured as an increase in capacitance. The subsequent reduction in capacitance indicates endocytosis, the process of membrane uptake or removal from the calyx membrane. Endocytosis, is necessary to maintain the structure of the calyx and it is also necessary to form vesicles that will be filled with neurotransmitter for future exocytosis events. Capacitance recordings at the calyx of Held have made it possible to directly and rapidly measure vesicular release and subsequent endocytosis in a mammalian CNS nerve terminal. In addition, the corresponding postsynaptic activity can be simultaneously measured by using paired recordings. Thus a complete picture of the presynaptic and postsynaptic electrical activity at a central nervous system synapse is achievable using this preparation. Here, the methods for slice preparation, morphological features for identification of calyces of Held, basic patch clamping techniques, and examples of capacitance recordings to measure exocytosis and endocytosis are presented.

We demonstrate the basic techniques for presynaptic patch clamp recording at the calyx of Held, a mammalian central nervous system nerve terminal.

We demonstrate the basic techniques for presynaptic patch clamp recording at the calyx of Held, a mammalian central nervous system nerve terminal. ...

Intravitreous Injection for Establishing Ocular Diseases Model

Intravitreous injection is a widely used technique in visual sciences research. It can be used to establish animal models with ocular diseases or as direct application of local treatment. This video introduces how to use simple and inexpensive tools to finish the intravitreous injection procedure. Use of a 1 ml syringe, instead of a hemilton syringe, is used. Practical tips for how to make appropriate injection needles using glass pipettes with perfect tips, and how to easily connect the syringe needle with the glass pipette tightly together, are given.
To conduct a good intravitreous injection, there are three aspects to be observed: 1) injection site should not disrupt retina structure; 2) bleeding should be avoided to reduce the risk of infection; 3) lens should be untouched to avoid traumatic cataract. In brief, the most important point is to reduce the interruption of normal ocular structure. To avoid interruption of retina, the superior nasal region of rat eye was chosen. Also, the puncture point of the needle was at the par planar, which was about 1.5 mm from the limbal region of the rat eye. A small amount of vitreous is gently pushed out through the puncture hole to reduce the intraocular pressure before injection. With the 45&deg; injection angle, it is less likely to cause traumatic cataract in the rat eye, thus avoiding related complications and influence from lenticular factors. In this operation, there was no cutting of the conjunctiva and ocular muscle, no bleeding. With quick and minor injury, a successful intravitreous injection can be done in minutes. 
The injection set outlined in this particular protocol is specific for intravitreous injection. However, the methods and materials presented here can also be used for other injection procedures in drug delivery to the brain, spinal cord or other organs in small mammals.

Intravitreous injection is a widely used technique in visual sciences research for ocular diseases or as direct application of local treatment. This video demonstrated a protocol for intravitreous injection using a 1ml syringe with glass pipette. Useful tips about avoiding massive bleeding and lens damage are given.

Intravitreous injection is a widely used technique in visual sciences research. It can be used to establish animal models with ocular diseases or as ...

Microfabrication of Chip-sized Scaffolds for Three-dimensional Cell cultivation

Using microfabrication technologies is a prerequisite to create scaffolds of reproducible geometry and constant quality for three-dimensional cell cultivation. These technologies offer a wide spectrum of advantages not only for manufacturing but also for different applications. The size and shape of formed cell clusters can be influenced by the exact and reproducible architecture of the microfabricated scaffold and, therefore, the diffusion path length of nutrients and gases can be controlled.1 This is unquestionably a useful tool to prevent apoptosis and necrosis of cells due to an insufficient nutrient and gas supply or removal of cellular metabolites.
Our polymer chip, called CellChip, has the outer dimensions of 2 x 2 cm with a central microstructured area. This area is subdivided into an array of up to 1156 microcontainers with a typical dimension of 300 m edge length for the cubic design (cp- or cf-chip) or of 300 m diameter and depth for the round design (r-chip).2
So far, hot embossing or micro injection moulding (in combination with subsequent laborious machining of the parts) was used for the fabrication of the microstructured chips. Basically, micro injection moulding is one of the only polymer based replication techniques that, up to now, is capable for mass production of polymer microstructures.3 However, both techniques have certain unwanted limitations due to the processing of a viscous polymer melt with the generation of very thin walls or integrated through holes. In case of the CellChip, thin bottom layers are necessary to perforate the polymer and provide small pores of defined size to supply cells with culture medium e.g. by microfluidic perfusion of the containers.
In order to overcome these limitations and to reduce the manufacturing costs we have developed a new microtechnical approach on the basis of a down-scaled thermoforming process. For the manufacturing of highly porous and thin walled polymer chips, we use a combination of heavy ion irradiation, microthermoforming and track etching. In this so called "SMART" process (Substrate Modification And Replication by Thermoforming) thin polymer films are irradiated with energetic heavy projectiles of several hundred MeV introducing so-called "latent tracks" Subsequently, the film in a rubber elastic state is formed into three dimensional parts without modifying or annealing the tracks. After the forming process, selective chemical etching finally converts the tracks into cylindrical pores of adjustable diameter.

We present two processes for the microfabrication of porous polymer chips for three-dimensional cell cultivation. The first one is hot embossing combined with a solvent vapour welding process. The second one uses a recently developed microthermoforming process combined with ion track technology leading to a significant simplification of manufacture.

Using microfabrication technologies is a prerequisite to create scaffolds of reproducible geometry and constant quality for three-dimensional cell ...

Zebrafish Brain Ventricle Injection

Proper brain ventricle formation during embryonic brain development is required for normal brain function.  Brain ventricles are the highly conserved cavities within the brain that are filled with cerebrospinal fluid.  In zebrafish, after neural tube formation, the neuroepithelium undergoes a series of constrictions and folds while it fills with fluid resulting in brain ventricle formation.  In order to understand the process of ventricle formation, and the neuroepithelial shape changes that occur at the same time, we needed a way to visualize the ventricle space in comparison to the brain tissue.  However, the nature of transparent zebrafish embryos makes it difficult to differentiate the tissue from the ventricle space.  Therefore, we developed a brain ventricle injection technique where the ventricle space is filled with a fluorescent dye and imaged by brightfield and fluorescent microscopy.  The brightfield and the fluorescent images are then processed and superimposed in Photoshop.  This technique allows for visualization of the ventricle space with the fluorescent dye, in comparison to the shape of the neuroepithelium in the brightfield image.  Brain ventricle injection in zebrafish can be employed from 18 hours post fertilization through early larval stages.  We have used this technique extensively in our studies of brain ventricle formation and morphogenesis as well as in characterizing brain morphogenesis mutants (1-3).

After neural tube formation, the neuroepithelium constricts and folds while the tube fills with embryonic cerebrospinal fluid (eCSF) to form the embryonic brain ventricles. We developed this ventricle injection technique to better visualize the fluid filled space in contrast to the neuroepithelial shape in a live embryo.

Proper brain ventricle formation during embryonic brain development is required for normal brain function.  Brain ventricles are the highly conserved ...

The Gateway to the Brain: Dissecting the Primate Eye

The visual system in humans is considered the gateway to the world and plays a principal role in the plethora of sensory, perceptual and cognitive processes. It is therefore not surprising that quality of vision is tied to quality of life . Despite widespread clinical and basic research surrounding the causes of visual disorders, many forms of visual impairments, such as retinitis pigmentosa and macular degeneration, lack effective treatments. Non-human primates have the closest general features of eye development to that of humans. Not only do they have a similar vascular anatomy, but amongst other mammals, primates have the unique characteristic of having a region in the temporal retina specialized for high visual acuity, the fovea1. Here we describe a general technique for dissecting the primate retina to provide tissue for retinal histology, immunohistochemistry, laser capture microdissection, as well as light and electron microscopy. With the extended use of the non-human primate as a translational model, our hope is that improved understanding of the retina will provide insights into effective approaches towards attenuating or reversing the negative impact of visual disorders on the quality of life of affected individuals.

The non-human primate is an important translational species for our understanding of development and aging. The anatomical organization of the primate retina may provide important insights into normal and pathological conditions in humans.

The visual system in humans is considered the  gateway  to the world and plays a principal role in the plethora of sensory, perceptual and cognitive ...

Intraperitoneal Injection into Adult Zebrafish

A convenient method for chemically treating zebrafish is to introduce the reagent into the tank water, where it will be taken up by the fish. However, this method makes it difficult to know how much reagent is absorbed or taken up per fish. Some experimental questions, particularly those related to metabolic studies, may be better addressed by delivering a defined quantity to each fish, based on weight. Here we present a method for intraperitoneal (IP) injection into adult zebrafish. Injection is into the abdominal cavity, posterior to the pelvic girdle. This procedure is adapted from veterinary methods used for larger fish. It is safe, as we have observed zero mortality. Additionally, we have seen bleeding at the injection site in only 5 out of 127 injections, and in each of those cases the bleeding was brief, lasting several seconds, and the quantity of blood lost was small. Success with this procedure requires gentle handling of the fish through several steps including fasting, weighing, anesthetizing, injection, and recovery. Precautions are required to minimize stress throughout the procedure. Our precautions include using a small injection volume and a 35G needle. We use Cortland salt solution as the vehicle, which is osmotically balanced for freshwater fish. Aeration of the gills is maintained during the injection procedure by first bringing the fish into a surgical plane of anesthesia, which allows slow operculum movements, and second, by holding the fish in a trough within a water-saturated sponge during the injection itself. We demonstrate the utility of IP injection by injecting glucose and monitoring the rise in blood glucose level and its subsequent return to normal. As stress is known to increase blood glucose in teleost fish, we compare blood glucose levels in vehicle-injected and non-injected adults and show that the procedure does not cause a significant rise in blood glucose.

We demonstrate intraperitoneal injection into adult zebrafish. We use a 10 &mu;l NanoFil microsyringe controlled by a Micro4 controller and UltraMicroPump III. This demonstration includes the use of cold water as an anesthetic.

A convenient method for chemically treating zebrafish is to introduce the reagent into the tank water, where it will be taken up by the fish. However, ...

Mapping the After-effects of Theta Burst Stimulation on the Human Auditory Cortex with Functional Imaging

Auditory cortex pertains to the processing of sound, which is at the basis of speech or music-related processing1. However, despite considerable recent progress, the functional properties and lateralization of the human auditory cortex are far from being fully understood. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive technique that can transiently or lastingly modulate cortical excitability via the application of localized magnetic field pulses, and represents a unique method of exploring plasticity and connectivity. It has only recently begun to be applied to understand auditory cortical function 2. 
An important issue in using TMS is that the physiological consequences of the stimulation are difficult to establish. Although many TMS studies make the implicit assumption that the area targeted by the coil is the area affected, this need not be the case, particularly for complex cognitive functions which depend on interactions across many brain regions 3. One solution to this problem is to combine TMS with functional Magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The idea here is that fMRI will provide an index of changes in brain activity associated with TMS. Thus, fMRI would give an independent means of assessing which areas are affected by TMS and how they are modulated 4. In addition, fMRI allows the assessment of functional connectivity, which represents a measure of the temporal coupling between distant regions. It can thus be useful not only to measure the net activity modulation induced by TMS in given locations, but also the degree to which the network properties are affected by TMS, via any observed changes in functional connectivity.
Different approaches exist to combine TMS and functional imaging according to the temporal order of the methods. Functional MRI can be applied before, during, after, or both before and after TMS. Recently, some studies interleaved TMS and fMRI in order to provide online mapping of the functional changes induced by TMS 5-7. However, this online combination has many technical problems, including the static artifacts resulting from the presence of the TMS coil in the scanner room, or the effects of TMS pulses on the process of MR image formation. But more importantly, the loud acoustic noise induced by TMS (increased compared with standard use because of the resonance of the scanner bore) and the increased TMS coil vibrations (caused by the strong mechanical forces due to the static magnetic field of the MR scanner) constitute a crucial problem when studying auditory processing. 
This is one reason why fMRI was carried out before and after TMS in the present study. Similar approaches have been used to target the motor cortex 8,9, premotor cortex 10, primary somatosensory cortex 11,12 and language-related areas 13, but so far no combined TMS-fMRI study has investigated the auditory cortex. The purpose of this article is to provide details concerning the protocol and considerations necessary to successfully combine these two neuroscientific tools to investigate auditory processing. 
Previously we showed that repetitive TMS (rTMS) at high and low frequencies (resp. 10 Hz and 1 Hz) applied over the auditory cortex modulated response time (RT) in a melody discrimination task 2. We also showed that RT modulation was correlated with functional connectivity in the auditory network assessed using fMRI: the higher the functional connectivity between left and right auditory cortices during task performance, the higher the facilitatory effect (i.e. decreased RT) observed with rTMS. However those findings were mainly correlational, as fMRI was performed before rTMS. Here, fMRI was carried out before and immediately after TMS to provide direct measures of the functional organization of the auditory cortex, and more specifically of the plastic reorganization of the auditory neural network occurring after the neural intervention provided by TMS. 
Combined fMRI and TMS applied over the auditory cortex should enable a better understanding of brain mechanisms of auditory processing, providing physiological information about functional effects of TMS. This knowledge could be useful for many cognitive neuroscience applications, as well as for optimizing therapeutic applications of TMS, particularly in auditory-related disorders.

Auditory processing is the basis of speech and music-related processing. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) has been used successfully to study cognitive, sensory and motor systems but has rarely been applied to audition. Here we investigated TMS combined with functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging to understand the functional organization of auditory cortex.

Auditory cortex pertains to the processing of sound, which is at the basis of speech or music-related processing1. However, despite considerable recent ...

Intraductal Injection for Localized Drug Delivery to the Mouse Mammary Gland

Herein we describe a protocol to deliver various reagents to the mouse mammary gland via intraductal injections. Localized drug delivery and knock-down of genes within the mammary epithelium has been difficult to achieve due to the lack of appropriate targeting molecules that are independent of developmental stages such as pregnancy and lactation. Herein, we describe a technique for localized delivery of reagents to the mammary gland at any stage in adulthood via intraductal injection into the nipples of mice. The injections can be performed on live mice, under anesthesia, and allow for a non-invasive and localized drug delivery to the mammary gland. Furthermore, the injections can be repeated over several months without damaging the nipple. Vital dyes such as Evans Blue are very helpful to learn the technique. Upon intraductal injection of the blue dye, the entire ductal tree becomes visible to the eye. Furthermore, fluorescently labeled reagents also allow for visualization and distribution within the mammary gland. This technique is adaptable for a variety of compounds including siRNA, chemotherapeutic agents, and small molecules.

A protocol for the non-invasive intraductal delivery of aqueous reagents to the mouse mammary gland is described. The method takes advantage of localized injection into the nipples of mammary glands targeting mammary ducts specifically. This technique is adaptable for a variety of compounds including siRNA, chemotherapeutic agents and small molecules.

Herein we describe a protocol to deliver various reagents to the mouse mammary gland via intraductal injections. Localized drug delivery and knock-down of ...

Reconstitution of a Transmembrane Protein, the Voltage-gated Ion Channel, KvAP, into Giant Unilamellar Vesicles for Microscopy and Patch Clamp Studies

Giant Unilamellar Vesicles (GUVs) are a popular biomimetic system for studying membrane associated phenomena. However, commonly used protocols to grow GUVs must be modified in order to form GUVs containing functional transmembrane proteins. This article describes two dehydration-rehydration methods &#8212; electroformation and gel-assisted swelling &#8212; to form GUVs containing the voltage-gated potassium channel, KvAP. In both methods, a solution of protein-containing small unilamellar vesicles is partially dehydrated to form a stack of membranes, which is then allowed to swell in a rehydration buffer. For the electroformation method, the film is deposited on platinum electrodes so that an AC field can be applied during film rehydration. In contrast, the gel-assisted swelling method uses an agarose gel substrate to enhance film rehydration. Both methods can produce GUVs in low (e.g., 5 mM) and physiological (e.g., 100 mM) salt concentrations. The resulting GUVs are characterized via fluorescence microscopy, and the function of reconstituted channels measured using the inside-out patch-clamp configuration. While swelling in the presence of an alternating electric field (electroformation) gives a high yield of defect-free GUVs, the gel-assisted swelling method produces a more homogeneous protein distribution and requires no special equipment.

The reconstitution of the transmembrane protein, KvAP, into giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) is demonstrated for two dehydration-rehydration methods &#8212; electroformation, and gel-assisted swelling. In both methods, small unilamellar vesicles containing the protein are fused together to form GUVs that can then be studied by fluorescence microscopy and patch-clamp electrophysiology.

Giant Unilamellar Vesicles (GUVs) are a popular biomimetic system for studying membrane associated phenomena. However, commonly used protocols to grow ...

Sampling Blood from the Lateral Tail Vein of the Rat

Blood samples are commonly obtained in many experimental contexts to measure targets of interest, including hormones, immune factors, growth factors, proteins, and glucose, yet the composition of the blood is dynamically regulated and easily perturbed. One factor that can change the blood composition is the stress response triggered by the sampling procedure, which can contribute to variability in the measures of interest. Here we describe a procedure for blood sampling from the lateral tail vein in the rat. This procedure offers significant advantages over other more commonly used techniques. It permits rapid sampling with minimal pain or invasiveness, without anesthesia or analgesia. Additionally, it can be used to obtain large volume samples (upwards of 1 ml in some rats), and it may be used repeatedly across experimental days. By minimizing the stress response and pain resulting from blood sampling, measures can more accurately reflect the true basal state of the animal, with minimal influence from the sampling procedure itself.

Blood samples are useful for assessing biomarkers of physiological states or disease in vivo. Here we describe the methodology to sample blood from the lateral tail vein in the rat. This method provides rapid samples with minimal pain and invasiveness.

Blood samples are commonly obtained in many experimental contexts to measure targets of interest, including hormones, immune factors, growth factors, ...