Name: extrahepatic bile duct and gall bladder dissection in nine-day-old mouse neonates
Uploaded: 2022-08-23T15:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Extrahepatic Bile Duct and Gall Bladder Dissection in Nine-Day-Old Mouse Neonates at JoVE.com

The authors acknowledge Johanna Hagens, Pauline Schuppert, Clara Philippi, PD Dr. med Christian Tomuschat, Svenja Warnke, PD Dr. Diana Lindner, Prof. Dr. Dirk Westermann, Miriam Tomczak, Nicole L&#252;der, Nadine Kurzawa, Dr. rer nat. Laia Pagerols Raluy, Birgit Appl, and Magdalena Trochimiuk for their contributions.&#160;Hans Christian Schmidt was financially supported by the Else Kr&#246;ner-Fresenius-Stiftung iPRIME Scholarship (2021_EKPK.10), UKE, Hamburg.

Following ethical approval (N045/2021), male and female C57BL/6 mice neonates were observed until 9 days old. The animals were born and provided for experimental purposes by the animal facility of the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. The neonates were housed in a cage together with their parent animals. The environmental conditions were controlled in temperature (20-24 &#176;C), 12:12 h light-dark cycle, and relative humidity of 40%-70%.
1. Experimental prep...

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J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Unraveling+the+pathogenesis+and+etiology+of+biliary+atresia.">Unraveling the pathogenesis and etiology of biliary atresia.</a> Pediatric Research. 57 (5), 87-94 (2005).</li><li>Karjoo, S., Wells, R. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Isolation+of+neonatal+extrahepatic+cholangiocytes.">Isolation of neonatal extrahepatic cholangiocytes.</a> Journal of Visualized Experiments. 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This article reported and discussed the creation and validation of a new surgical approach for removing the EBDS of euthanized neonatal mice. Microscopical and histological findings reveal that the approach quickly detects EBDs and dissects them near the duct&#39;s margins, even in neonatal mice. Only surgical instruments and a microscope with a 20x magnification are required for the described protocol. Furthermore, the approach allows the isolation of the entire EBDS. The technique is highly efficient, straightforward, ...

The genesis and progression of cholangiopathies such as biliary atresia, primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), and primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) are either unknown or incomplete1,2. The limited understanding of the origin and progression of those diseases leads to a paucity of therapy options3. The most difficult obstacle in studying neonatal bile duct disorders is gaining a molecular understanding of the pathophysiology. One of the essential keys to a better understanding of molecular pathology is the best possible observation of affected tissue. To avoid reduced comparability and discrepancies between research, such as observing potential viral etiology of biliary atresia4,&#160;the need for the best possible preparation and sharing of the performed dissection techniques arise. A pure preparation of the target tissue is necessary for later microscopical investigations or breeding cell- and 3D-organoid cultures. However, in murine neonatal disorders, tissue samples are rare and only occur in a small amount due to the very small size. Regarding bile duct disorders, difficulties in a clean preparation of bile ducts in murine neonates have been described5. Due to the neonatal stage of development, tissue differentiation is not overly advanced, which complicates preparation and increases the difficulty compared to the preparation of adult samples. Therefore, the operating workgroup investigated a novel strategy for preparing the EBDS in a neonatal mouse model. In the present study, the technique allows an efficientdissection of each sample.
The bile duct system is intraperitoneally placed in the right upper abdomen, arising from the liver. The gall bladder is located underneath the visceral surface of the liver&#39;s right lobe. The bile duct, together with the portal vein and hepatic artery, is embedded in the hepatoduodenal ligament. It joins the liver and the duodenum directly and drains bile fluid into the duodenum6. Anatomically, the bile duct is divided into the right and left hepatic ducts, the common hepatic duct, the cystic duct, and the Ductus choledochus, which is formed by the confluence of the cystic duct and the common hepatic duct7. This one eventually empties bile fluid and saliva from the pancreatic duct into the duodenum via the Ampulla of Vater.
Cholangiocytes line the bile duct intra- and extrahepatically, dwelling in a complicated anatomic niche where they assist in bile production and homeostasis8. Bile fluid passes these specialized epithelial cells in high concentrations daily. In particular, the HCO3- umbrella maintenance is very important for protecting against bile acid toxicity9. Cholangiocytes are the first line of defense in the hepatobiliary system against, for example, luminal microorganisms10. The cholangiocytes&#39; defense efficacy against toxic assaults may be weakened by genetic predisposition. A toxic overload causes damage and destruction and can therefore lead to cholangiopathies. Furthermore, the developing bile duct is not completely capable of all self-protective mechanisms, leading to a higher susceptibility to environmental toxins in neonatal bile ducts11.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>2-Propanol</td>
			<td>CHEMSOLUTE</td>
			<td>11365000</td>
			<td>used as a dehydrating agent</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>30 G canula</td>
			<td>B Braun/Sterican, Melsungen Germany</td>
			<td>4656300</td>
			<td>canula for hydration of the sample</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Air vent</td>
			<td>C + P M&#246;belsysteme GmbH &#38; Co. KG, Breidenbach, Germany</td>
			<td>Tec-Ononmic AZ 1200</td>
			<td>the use of an air vent helps to avoid inhalation of formalin-containing fixatives</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Aqua ad injectabilia Braun</td>
			<td>B Braun, Melsungen, Germany</td>
			<td>2351744</td>
			<td>saline; Container: Mini-Plasco connect, 20 x 10 mL, sterile</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Bigger microsurgical Forceps</td>
			<td>DIADUST von Aesculap, Trossingen Deutschland</td>
			<td>FD253R</td>
			<td>straight, 180 mm (7&#34;), platform tip, round handle, width: 0,800 mm, diamond dust coated, non-sterile, reusable optional tool for observation and every step of preparation except very final preparation; Dividing skin of the peritoneum</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Camera &#8220;SmartCAM 5&#8221;&#160;</td>
			<td>Basler and Vision Engineering, Send, United Kingdom</td>
			<td>EVC131A</td>
			<td>optional Lynx Exo camera modul: sensortype: CMOS, resolution 2560 x 1920 pixels, sensor size: 1/2&#34;; Used for videoproduction and technical evaluation</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dehydration machine/Citadel 2000 Tissue Processor</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific GmbH, Schwerte, Germany</td>
			<td>12612613</td>
			<td>used for automatic dehydration, short program (approx. 4.8 h)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dehydration sponge&#160;</td>
			<td>Carl Roth, Karlsruhe, Germany</td>
			<td>TT56.1</td>
			<td>sponge for final dissection step, other sponges/foam pads with a minimum pore size of 60 pores per inch are also suitable, the use of&#160; two foam pads per embedding cassette is recomended to cover the sample from below and above to prevent sliding through the perforation of the embedding cassettes</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dulbecco&#180;s Phosphat Buffered Saline (PBS)</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>14190-144</td>
			<td>Doesn&#180;t contain Calzium or Magnesium, 500 mL</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Embedding cassettes</td>
			<td>Engelbrecht GmbH, Ederm&#252;nde, Germany</td>
			<td>17990</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Eosin</td>
			<td>MEDITE Medical GmbH, Burgdorf, Germany</td>
			<td>41-6660-00</td>
			<td>staining solution, ready to use</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fine Scissors CeramaCut</td>
			<td>FST, Heidelberg Germany</td>
			<td>14959-09</td>
			<td>Tips: Sharp-Sharp, Alloy / Material: Ceramic Coated Stainless Steel, Serrated:, Yes; Feature: CeramaCut, Tip Shape: Straight, Cutting Edge: 22 mm, Length: 9 cm; Skin incision, incision of the peritoneal window</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Graefe Forceps</td>
			<td>FST, Heidelberg Germany</td>
			<td>11051-10</td>
			<td>Length: 10 cm, Tip Shape: curved, serrated, Tip width: 0.8 mm, Tip Dimensions: 0.8 x 0.7 mm, Alloy /Material: Stainless Steel</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Hematoxylin</td>
			<td>MEDITE Medical GmbH, Burgdorf, Germany</td>
			<td>41-5130-00</td>
			<td>staining solution, ready to use</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Highresolotion microscope</td>
			<td>Vision Engineering, Send United Kingdom</td>
			<td>EVO503&#160;</td>
			<td>Capable of enlargement up to 60x magnification, only 6x to 20x magnification were used&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Microscope</td>
			<td>Olympus Optical CO, Ltd., Hamburg, Germany</td>
			<td>BX60F5</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Microscope Cover Glases</td>
			<td>Marienfeld, Lauda-K&#246;nigshofen, Germany</td>
			<td>101244</td>
			<td>60 mm broad, made of SCHOTT D 263 glass</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Microscope Slides</td>
			<td>R. Langenbrinck GmbH, Emmendingen, Germany</td>
			<td>03-0060</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Microtome</td>
			<td>Leica, Nu&#223;loch, Germany</td>
			<td>SM2010R</td>
			<td>Tool for sectioning (2 &#181;m-slices)&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Omnifix-F 1 mL syringe</td>
			<td>B Braun, Melsungen, Germany</td>
			<td>9161406V</td>
			<td>syringe without canula</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Paraffin</td>
			<td>Sakura Finetec, Torrance, USA</td>
			<td>4511</td>
			<td>Tissue-Tek Paraffin Wax Tek III, without DMSO</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Paraffin embedding machine</td>
			<td>MEDITE Medical GmbH, Burgdorf, Germany</td>
			<td>TES 99</td>
			<td>The embedding machine used in this study contained the following three individual modules: TES 99.420, TES 99.250, TES 99.600. The sample should be embedded in Paraffin directly after the dehydration, no interim storage in a fridge should be performed due to possible shrinking and moisture in the fridge</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Paraformaldehyde (PFA)</td>
			<td>Morphisto</td>
			<td>1176201000</td>
			<td>Prepare 1 mL Aliquots in 2 mL Eppendorf conical Tubes for liver samples and 0.5 mL Aliquots in 1 mL Eppendorf conical Tubes for extrahepatic bile duct samples, 4% in PBS ph 7.4&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Small Microsurgical Forceps&#160;</td>
			<td>EPM (Erich Pfitzer Medizintechnik), B&#252;tthard, Bayern, Germany</td>
			<td>(00)165</td>
			<td>Round handle, straight, 0.3 mm tip, tool for observation and every step of preparation, especially useful in final preparation</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Stainless Steel Ruler</td>
			<td>Agntho&#39;s AB, Liding&#246;, Sweden</td>
			<td>30085-15</td>
			<td>150mm With Metric &#38; Inch Graduations</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Surgical Scissors &#8211; Sharp-blunt for decapitation</td>
			<td>FST, Heidelberg Germany</td>
			<td>14001-14</td>
			<td>Device for decapitation</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Warming cabinet</td>
			<td>Haraeus, Hanau, Germany</td>
			<td>T 6060</td>
			<td>the sliced samples should be kept in the warming cabinet to ensure the attachement of the sample on the microscope slides</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

extrahepatic bile duct and gall bladder dissection in nine-day-old mouse neonates

The dissection of murine neonatal bile ducts has been described as difficult. The main aim of the described standard operating procedure is the isolation of the extrahepatic bile duct (EBD) in mouse neonates without damaging the bile duct during preparation. Because of its exceptionally close preparation compared to the cholangiocytes cell line and harvesting of the entire extrahepatic bile duct system (EBDS), the described approach is extremely useful in researching animal models of newborn bile duct disorders, such as biliary atresia. After euthanasia, the peritoneal cavity was accessed, and the bile duct system, duodenum, and liver were extracted with the unique En-bloc-Resection (EbR). The extracted sample is placed on a foam mat, and the EBD is dissected from contaminating cells atraumatically without necessary touch. The dissection of the entire EBDS is a significant advantage of this method. Caution must be taken due to the small size and amount of bile duct tissue. Using the described technique, there is no damage to the cholangiocytes. Further, the purity of the technique is reproducible (n = 10). Therefore, optimally comparable samples can be harvested. Furthermore, no bile duct tissue is harmed, because any contact with the bile duct system can be avoided during preparation, leaving the bile fluid inside the gall bladder. Most importantly, while performing the final gall bladder and bile duct dissection, atraumatic microinstruments were used only slightly lateral of the bile duct without squeezing it. This is the key to a clean and intact sample, and essential for further histological investigation or the isolation of cholangiocytes. To summarize, the described innovative dissection technique enables especially inexperienced operators with the necessary equipment to isolate the EBDS as cleanly as possible.

Figure 1A shows the EBDS of a murine neonate, which was dissected with the described technique. Microscopically, no further hepatic tissue is visible. The hepatic tissue has been removed during the final isolation steps of the protocol and could easily be distinguished from bile duct tissue regarding color and consistency. Figure 1B displays the isolated sample compared to a millimeter scale. The EBD&#39;s length (measured from gall bladder to duodenal papilla) ...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Extrahepatic Bile Duct and Gall Bladder Dissection in Nine-Day-Old Mouse Neonates at JoVE.com

Extrahepatic Bile Duct and Gall Bladder Dissection in Nine-Day-Old Mouse Neonates

For the observation of murine neonatal bile duct disorders, an intact bile duct and efficient preparation are required. Therefore, a new approach for isolating the entire extrahepatic bile duct system in murine neonates was successfully developed while maintaining the integrity of the bile duct.

The dissection of murine neonatal bile ducts has been described as difficult. The main aim of the described standard operating procedure is the isolation ...

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