Name: quantification of cellular densities and antigenic properties using magnetic levitation
Uploaded: 2021-05-17T15:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Quantification of Cellular Densities and Antigenic Properties using Magnetic Levitation at JoVE.com

The authors would like to thank Dr. Getulio Pereira for his help with extracellular vesicle work.
This work was supported by the following National Institute of Health grants to ICG: RO1CA218500, UG3HL147353, and UG3TR002881.

The experimental protocol used in this study was approved by the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Institutional Review Board (IRB).
1. Instrument setup
NOTE: Imaging levitating cells requires two rare earth neodymium magnets magnetized on the z-axis to be placed with the same pole facing each other to generate a magnetic field. The distance between the magnets can be customized depending on the intensity of the magnetic field and the density of the targets. In thi...

<ol>
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Gradient centrifugation is currently the standard technique for isolating subcellular components based on their unique densities. This approach, however, requires the use of specialized gradient media as well as centrifuge equipment. The magnetic levitation approach presented here&#8239;allows detailed investigation of the morphological and functional properties of circulating cells, with minimum, if any manipulation of the cells, providing a near in vivo access to circulating cells.
...

Magnetic levitation is a technique developed to separate, analyze, and identify cell&#160;types1,2,3, proteins4,5 and opioids6 based solely on their specific density and paramagnetic properties. Cell density is a unique, intrinsic property of each cell type directly related to its metabolic rate and differentiation status7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14. Quantifying subtle and transient changes in cell density during steady state conditions, and during a variety of cell processes, could afford one an unmatched insight into cell physiology and pathophysiology. Changes in cell density are associated with cell differentiation15,16, cell cycle progression9,17,18,19, apoptosis20,21,22,23, and malignant transformation24,25,26. Therefore, quantification of specific changes in cell density, can be used to differentiate between cells of different types, as well as discriminate between same type of cells undergoing various activation processes. This enables experiments that target a particular cell sub-population, where dynamic changes in density serves as an indicator of altered cell metabolism27. As it has been established that a cell may alter its density in response to a changing environment7, it is imperative to measure the kinetics of the cell in relation to its density to understand it fully, which current methods may not provide12. Magnetic levitation on the other hand, allows for a dynamic evaluation of cells and their properties28.
Cells are diamagnetic meaning that they do not have a permanent magnetic dipole moment. However, when exposed to&#160;an external magnetic field, a weak magnetic dipole moment is generated in the cells, in the opposite direction of the applied field. Thus, if cells are suspended in a paramagnetic solution and exposed to a strong vertical magnetic field, they will levitate away from the magnetic source and stop to a height, which depends primarily on their individual density. Diamagnetic levitation of an object confined to the minimum of an inhomogeneous magnetic field is possible when the two following criteria are fulfilled: 1) the magnetic susceptibility of the particle must be smaller than that of the surrounding medium, and 2) the magnetic force must be strong enough to counterbalance the particle&#39;s buoyancy force. Both criteria can be fulfilled by suspending RBCs in a magnetic buffer and by creating strong magnetic field gradients with small, inexpensive, commercially available permanent magnets1. The equilibrium position of a magnetically trapped particle on an axis along the direction of gravity is determined by its density (relative to the density of the buffer), its magnetic susceptibility (relative to the magnetic susceptibility of the buffer), and the signature of the applied magnetic field. As the density and the magnetic properties of the solution are constant throughout the system, the intrinsic density properties of the cells will be the major factor determining the levitation height of the cells, with denser cells levitating lower compared to less dense cells. This approach uses a set of two density reference beads (1.05 and 1.2 g/mL) that allows us to use precise, ratiometric analysis for density measurements. Altering the concentration of the magnetic solution allows one to isolate different cellular populations, such as RBCs from WBCs, as the density of circulating cells is cell specific, removing the need for isolation protocols or other cell manipulation.
The majority of detection methods used in biology research rely on extrapolation of specific binding events into easy to quantify linear signals. These readout methods are often complex and involve specialized equipment and dedicated scientific personnel. An approach aimed at the detection of antigens found either on the plasma membrane of cells or extracellular vesicles or that are soluble in plasma, using either one or two antibody coated beads, is herein described. The beads must be of different densities from each other and from those of the interrogated targets. The presence of the target antigen in any given biofluid is translated into a specific, measurable change in the levitation height of an antigen-positive cell that is bound to a detection bead. In the case of soluble antigens or extracellular vesicles, they are bound to both capture and detection beads, forming a bead-bead complex rather than bead-cell complex. The change in levitation height depends on the new density of the bead-cell or bead-bead complexes. In addition to the change in the levitation height of the complexes, which indicates the presence of antigen in the biofluid, the number of complexes is also dependent on the amount of target, making magnetic levitation also a quantitative approach for antigen detection24.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>2-(N-Morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid hydrate</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>M-2933</td>
			<td>(MES); component of activation buffer</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>50x2.5x1 mm magnets, Nickel (Ni-Cu-Ni) plated, grade N52, magnetized through 5mm (0.197&#34;) thickness</td>
			<td>K&#38;J Magnetics</td>
			<td>Custom</td>
			<td>Magnets used for the magnetic levitation device</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Capillary Tube Sealant (Critoseal)</td>
			<td>Leica Microsystems</td>
			<td>267620</td>
			<td>Used to cap the ends of the capillary tubes</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Centrifuge tube filters (Corning Costar Spin-X)</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>CLS8163</td>
			<td>Used to wash beads</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Compact Lab Jack</td>
			<td>Thorlabs</td>
			<td>LJ750</td>
			<td>Used for adjusting the magnetic levitation device</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DPBS, no calcium, no magnesium</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>14190-144</td>
			<td>Solution for bead suspensions</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Ethanolamine</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>E9508-100ML</td>
			<td>Used during a wash step for beads</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fluorescent Plasma Membrane Stain (CellMask Green)</td>
			<td>Invitrogen</td>
			<td>C37608</td>
			<td>Used to stain Rh+ cells</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Gadoteridol Injection</td>
			<td>ProHance</td>
			<td>NDC 0270-1111-03</td>
			<td>Gadolinium (Gd3+); magnetic solution used to suspend cells</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>HBSS++</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>14025-092</td>
			<td>Solution for sample preparation</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Human C5b,6 complex</td>
			<td>Complement Technology, Inc</td>
			<td>A122</td>
			<td>Used to generate RBC Evs</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Human C7 protein</td>
			<td>Complement Technology, Inc</td>
			<td>A124</td>
			<td>Used to generate RBC Evs</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Human C8 protein</td>
			<td>Complement Technology, Inc</td>
			<td>A125</td>
			<td>Used to generate RBC Evs</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Human C9 protein</td>
			<td>Complement Technology, Inc</td>
			<td>A126</td>
			<td>Used to generate RBC Evs</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Mini Series Post Collar</td>
			<td>Thorlabs</td>
			<td>MSR2</td>
			<td>Used to secure magnetic levitation device to lab jacks</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>N-(3-Dimethylaminopropyl)-N&#8242;-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>E1769-10G</td>
			<td>(EDC); used in antibody coupling reaction</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Normal Rabbit IgG Control</td>
			<td>R&#38;D Systems</td>
			<td>AB-105-C</td>
			<td>Used to coat beads as a control condition</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Phosphate Buffered Saline (10X Solution, pH 7.4)</td>
			<td>Boston Bioproducts</td>
			<td>BM-220</td>
			<td>Component of coupling buffer, used for washing steps</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Polysorbate 20 (Tween 20)</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>P7949-500ML</td>
			<td>Component of activation buffer</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Polystyrene Carboxyl Polymer</td>
			<td>Bangs Laboratories</td>
			<td>PC06004</td>
			<td>Top density beads (1.05 g/mL), used for antibody coupling</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rabbit RhD Polyclonal Antibody</td>
			<td>Invitrogen</td>
			<td>PA5-112694</td>
			<td>Used to coat beads for the dectection of Rh factor in red blood cells</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Research Grade Microscope</td>
			<td>Olympus</td>
			<td>Provis AX-70</td>
			<td>Microscoped used to mount magnetic levitation device and view levitating cells</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rubber Dampening Feet</td>
			<td>Thorlabs</td>
			<td>RDF1</td>
			<td>Used to support the breadboard table</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Square Boro Tubing</td>
			<td>VitroTubes</td>
			<td>8100-050</td>
			<td>Capillary tube used for loading sample into Maglev</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sulfo-NHS</td>
			<td>Thermoscientific</td>
			<td>24510</td>
			<td>Used in antibody coupling reaction</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Translational Stage</td>
			<td>Thorlabs</td>
			<td>PT1</td>
			<td>Used for focusing and for scanning capillary tube</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

quantification of cellular densities and antigenic properties using magnetic levitation

The described method was developed based on the principles of magnetic levitation, which separates cells and particles based on their density and magnetic properties. Density is a cell type identifying property, directly related to its metabolic rate, differentiation, and activation status. Magnetic levitation allows a one-step approach to successfully separate, image and characterize circulating blood cells, and to detect anemia, sickle cell disease, and circulating tumor cells based on density and magnetic properties. This approach is also amenable to detecting soluble antigens present in a solution by using sets of low- and high-density beads coated with capture and detection antibodies, respectively. If the antigen is present in solution, it will bridge the two sets&#160;of beads, generating a new bead-bead complex, which will levitate in between the rows of antibody-coated beads. Increased concentration of the target antigen in solution will generate a larger number of bead-bead complexes when compared to lower concentrations of antigen, thus allowing for quantitative measurements of the target antigen. Magnetic levitation is advantageous to other methods due to its decreased sample preparation time and lack of dependance on classical readout methods. The image generated is easily captured and analyzed using a standard microscope or mobile device, such as a smartphone or a tablet.

Magnetic levitation focuses objects of different densities at different levitation heights depending on the object&#39;s density, its magnetic signature, the concentration of paramagnetic solution, and the strength of the magnetic field created by two strong, rare-earth magnets. As the two magnets are placed on top of each other, levitating samples can only be viewed, while maintaining K&#246;hler illumination, by using a microscope turned on its side (Figure 1). The final levitation height ...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Quantification of Cellular Densities and Antigenic Properties using Magnetic Levitation at JoVE.com

Quantification of Cellular Densities and Antigenic Properties using Magnetic Levitation

This paper describes a magnetic levitation-based method that can specifically detect the presence of antigens, either soluble or membrane-bound, by quantifying changes in the levitation height of capture beads with fixed densities.

The described method was developed based on the principles of magnetic levitation, which separates cells and particles based on their density and magnetic ...

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Mixing is a unit operation that combines two or more components into a homogeneous mixture.  This work involves mixing two viscous liquid streams using an ...

AFM-based Mapping of the Elastic Properties of Cell Walls: at Tissue, Cellular, and Subcellular Resolutions

We describe a recently developed method to measure mechanical properties of the surfaces of plant tissues using atomic force microscopy (AFM) ...

Selected Reaction Monitoring Mass Spectrometry for Absolute Protein Quantification

Absolute quantification of target proteins within complex biological samples is critical to a wide range of research and clinical applications. This ...

Cellular Redox Profiling Using High-content Microscopy

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) regulate essential cellular processes including gene expression, migration, differentiation and proliferation. However, ...

Fish Sperm Assessment Using Software and Cooling Devices

For gamete quality evaluation, there are innovative, rapid, and quantitative techniques that can provide useful data for aquaculture. Computerized systems ...

Visualizing Lymph Node Structure and Cellular Localization using Ex-Vivo Confocal Microscopy

Lymph nodes (LNs) are organs spread within the body, where the innate immune responses can connect with the adaptive immunity. In fact, LNs are ...

Cryogenic Sample Loading into a Magic Angle Spinning Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometer that Preserves Cellular Viability

Dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) can dramatically increase the sensitivity of magic angle spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. ...

Quantification of Interbacterial Competition using Single-Cell Fluorescence Imaging

Interbacterial competition can directly impact the structure and function of microbiomes. This work describes a fluorescence microscopy approach that can ...