Name: isolation of regenerating hepatocytes after partial hepatectomy in mice
Uploaded: 2022-12-02T13:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Isolation of Regenerating Hepatocytes after Partial Hepatectomy in Mice at JoVE.com

This study was supported by the Swiss National Fond (project grant 310030_189262).

All animal experiments were in accordance with Swiss Federal Animal Regulations and approved by the Veterinary Office of Zurich (n&#176; 007/2017, 156/2019) assuring human care. Male C57BL/6 mice aged 10-12 weeks were kept on a 12 h day/night cycle with free access to food and water. Each experimental group consisted of six to eight animals. See the Table of Materials for details related to all materials, equipment, and reagents used in this protocol.
1. Partial hepatect...

<ol>
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A., Tolba, R., Trautwein, C., Liedtke, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Partial+hepatectomy+in+mice.">Partial hepatectomy in mice.</a> Lab Animal. 49, 81-88 (2015).</li><li>Lehmann, K., 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=Liver+failure+after+extended+hepatectomy+in+mice+is+mediated+by+a+p21-dependent+barrier+to+liver+regeneration.">Liver failure after extended hepatectomy in mice is mediated by a p21-dependent barrier to liver regeneration.</a> Gastroenterology. 143 (6), 1609-1619 (2012).</li><li>Makino, 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=A+good+model+of+hepatic+failure+after+excessive+hepatectomy+in+mice.">A good model of hepatic failure after excessive hepatectomy in mice.</a> Journal of Surgical Research. 127 (2), 171-176 (2005).</li><li>Lizardo Thiebaud, M. 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The published protocol provides a reliable and straightforward method to isolate a high yield of normal and steatotic murine hepatocytes for single-cell downstream analyses or bulk analysis of cells following FACS sorting. The distinct advantage over density-gradient purification is that the cellular lipid content has essentially no impact on the effective yield of hepatocytes. Thus, the fraction of steatotic hepatocytes will be retained and included in downstream analyses. This is not only crucial for the study of steat...

The liver can regenerate itself even after major tissue loss. This unique regenerative capacity is explicitly illustrated by the experimental model of partial (70%) hepatectomy, first described in rats by Higgins and Anderson in 19311. In this model, 70% of the liver is surgically removed from animals by clipping off larger liver lobes. The remaining lobes then grow through compensatory hypertrophy to restore the original liver mass within about 1 week after surgery, albeit without restoration of the original liver architecture2,3. Additional hepatectomies with varying amounts of tissue removal have been developed, such as 86%-extended hepatectomy where the liver remnant is too small to recover, eventually leading to posthepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) and subsequent death in 30%-50% of the animals4,5,6. These models enable the study of normal and failed liver regeneration, depending on the amount of resected tissue (Figure 1).
Although mouse models of hepatectomies have been used successfully for many years, only recently have more advanced analytical methods allowed for a deeper insight at the single-cell level. For most of these methods, however, the presence of individual hepatocytes is a basic prerequisite. Most protocols for the isolation of primary hepatocytes are based on a two-step collagenase perfusion technique and subsequent density-gradient purification to separate viable hepatocytes from debris and non-parenchymal, as well as dead cells7,8,9. This method was first described by Berry and Friend in 196910 and adapted by Seglen and colleagues in 197211,12. However, as gradient centrifugation relies on the density and size of cells, lipid-laden hepatocytes are often lost during standard purification. While such loss may be negligible for many research questions, it is a crucial aspect for early liver regeneration. During the first 2 days, hepatocytes within the regenerating mouse liver accumulate lipids, thereby growing in size and dipping in density. This transient regeneration-associated steatosis (TRAS) serves to provide regenerative fuel and is temporary, but partially overlaps the major proliferative phase and is unevenly distributed within the liver lobules - the functional units of the liver13,14. After extended 86%-hepatectomy, however, TRAS also occurs but persists, because regeneration is stalled and lipids are not being oxidized14. Therefore, gradient-purification of hepatocytes following 70%- or 86%-hepatectomies will yield non-representative fractions, as most lipid-laden hepatocytes are lost due to their low density15.
In this modified isolation protocol, hepatocytes from C57BL/6 mice are isolated 24-48 h after hepatectomy by a classic two-step collagenase perfusion approach. Usually, cannulation and perfusion of the remnant for cell isolation are done via the portal vein. However, portovascular resistance in small remnants left after major resection is high16, and thus perfusion is delicate. Because the vena cava remains unaffected by hepatectomies, perfusion can be easily performed in the retrograde direction via cannulation of the vena cava. A standard peristaltic pump drives the warmed solutions via the catheterized inferior vena cava into the liver remnant, using retrograde perfusion with outflow through the portal vein (Supplementary Figure S1). Hepatocytes are dissociated by collagenases and released from the Glisson&#39;s capsule. After washing and careful processing of viable hepatocytes by stepwise isolation using a low-speed centrifugation approach, the hepatocytes can be used for any downstream analyses.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Reagents</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Alexa Fluor 488 Zombie green</td>
			<td>BioLegend</td>
			<td>423111</td>
			<td>Amine-reactive viability dye</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Attane Isoflurane ad us. vet. 99.9%</td>
			<td>Provet AG</td>
			<td>QN01AB06</td>
			<td>CAUTION: needs ventilation</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>EDTA solution</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>E8008-100ML</td>
			<td>-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Ethanol</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>V001229</td>
			<td>Dilute with water to 70%</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fetal bovine serum (FCS)</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>A5256701</td>
			<td>-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Hanks&#39; Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS), Ca2+, Mg2+, phenol red</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>H9269-6x600ML</td>
			<td>For digestion/preservation</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Hanks&#39; Balanced Salt solution (HBSS), w/o Ca2+, w/o Mg2+, no phenol red</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>H6648-6x500ML</td>
			<td>For perfusion buffer</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>HEPES solution, 1 M</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>83264-100ML-F</td>
			<td>-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Histoacryl tissue adhesive (butyl-2-cyanoacrylate)</td>
			<td>B. Braun</td>
			<td>1050052</td>
			<td>For stabilization of cannulation site</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Hoechst 33258 Staining Dye Solution</td>
			<td>Abcam</td>
			<td>ab228550</td>
			<td>-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Liberase Research Grade</td>
			<td>Roche</td>
			<td>5401119001</td>
			<td>Lyophilized collagenases I/II</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>NaCl 0.9% 500 mL Ecotainer</td>
			<td>B. Braun</td>
			<td>123</td>
			<td>-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Paralube Vet Ointment</td>
			<td>Dechra</td>
			<td>17033-211-38</td>
			<td>-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Phosphate buffered saline (PBS)</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>A1286301</td>
			<td>-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sudan IV &#8211; Lipid staining</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>V001423</td>
			<td>-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Temgesic (Buprenorphine hydrochloride), Solution for Injection 0.3 mg/mL</td>
			<td>Indivior Europe Ltd.</td>
			<td>345928</td>
			<td>Narcotics. Store securely.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Trypan blue, 0.4%, sterile-filtered</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>T8154</td>
			<td>For cell counting</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Williams&#8217; Medium E</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>W4128-500ML</td>
			<td>-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Materials</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>25 mL serological pipette, Greiner Cellstar</td>
			<td>Merck</td>
			<td>P7865</td>
			<td>-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>50 mL Falcon tubes</td>
			<td>TPP</td>
			<td>-</td>
			<td>-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>BD Neoflon, Pro IV Catheter 26 G</td>
			<td>BD Falcon</td>
			<td>391349</td>
			<td>-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cell scraper, rotating blade width 25 mm</td>
			<td>TPP</td>
			<td>99004</td>
			<td>-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Falcon Cell Strainer 100 &#181;m Nylon</td>
			<td>BD Falcon</td>
			<td>352360</td>
			<td>-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fenestrated sterile surgical drape</td>
			<td>-</td>
			<td>-</td>
			<td>Reusable cloth material</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Filling nozzle for size 16# tubing (ID 3.1 mm)</td>
			<td>Drifton</td>
			<td>FILLINGNOZZLE#16</td>
			<td>To go into the tubes</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Flow cytometry tubes, 5 mL</td>
			<td>BD Falcon</td>
			<td>352008</td>
			<td>-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Male Luer to Barb, Tubing ID 3.2 mm</td>
			<td>Drifton</td>
			<td>LM41</td>
			<td>Connection tube to syringe</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Petri dishes, 96 x 21 mm</td>
			<td>TPP</td>
			<td>93100</td>
			<td>-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Prolene 5-0</td>
			<td>Ethicon</td>
			<td>8614H</td>
			<td>To retract the sternum</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Prolene 6-0</td>
			<td>Ethicon</td>
			<td>8695H</td>
			<td>For skin suture</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Prolene 8-0</td>
			<td>Ethicon</td>
			<td>EH7470E</td>
			<td>Ligature gall bladder</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tube 16#, WT 1.6 mm, ID 3.2 mm, OD 6.4 mm</td>
			<td>Drifton</td>
			<td>SC0374T</td>
			<td>Perfusion tube</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Equipment</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>BD LSRFortessa Cell Analyzer Flow Cytometer</td>
			<td>BD</td>
			<td>-</td>
			<td>-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Isis rodent shaver</td>
			<td>Aesculap</td>
			<td>GT421</td>
			<td>-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Isofluran station</td>
			<td>Provet</td>
			<td>-</td>
			<td>-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Low-speed centrifuge &#8211; Scanspeed 416</td>
			<td>Labogene</td>
			<td>-</td>
			<td>-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Neubauer-improved counting chamber</td>
			<td>Marienfeld</td>
			<td>-</td>
			<td>-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Oxygen concentrator &#8211; EverFlo</td>
			<td>Philips&#160;</td>
			<td>1020007</td>
			<td>0 &#8211; 5 L/min</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Pipetboy &#8211; Pipettor Turbo-Fix</td>
			<td>TPP</td>
			<td>94700</td>
			<td>-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Shenchen perfusion pump &#8211; YZ1515x</td>
			<td>Shenchen</td>
			<td>YZ1515x</td>
			<td>-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Surgical microscope &#8211; SZX9</td>
			<td>Olympus</td>
			<td>-</td>
			<td>-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>ThermoLux warming mat</td>
			<td>Thermo Lux</td>
			<td>-</td>
			<td>-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Vortex Genie 2, 2700 UpM</td>
			<td>NeoLab</td>
			<td>7-0092</td>
			<td>-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Water bath &#8211; Precision GP 02</td>
			<td>Thermo scientific</td>
			<td>-</td>
			<td>Adjust to 42 &#176;C</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

isolation of regenerating hepatocytes after partial hepatectomy in mice

Partial hepatectomy has been widely used to investigate liver regeneration in mice, but the isolation of high yields of viable hepatocytes for downstream single-cell applications is challenging. A marked accumulation of lipids within regenerating hepatocytes is observed during the first 2 days of normal liver regeneration in mice. This so-called transient regeneration-associated steatosis (TRAS) is temporary but partially overlaps the major proliferative phase. Density-gradient purification is the backbone of most existing protocols for the isolation of primary hepatocytes. As gradient purification relies on the density and size of cells, it separates non-steatotic from steatotic hepatocyte populations. Therefore, fatty hepatocytes often are lost, yielding non-representative hepatocyte fractions. 
The presented protocol describes an easy and reliable method for the in vivo isolation of regenerating hepatocytes regardless of their lipid content. Hepatocytes from male C57BL/6 mice are isolated 24-48 h after hepatectomy by a classic two-step collagenase perfusion approach. A standard peristaltic pump drives the warmed solutions via the catheterized inferior vena cava into the remnant, using a retrograde perfusion technique with outflow through the portal vein. Hepatocytes are dissociated by collagenase for their release from the Glisson's capsule. After washing and careful centrifugation, the hepatocytes can be used for any downstream analyses. In conclusion, this paper describes a straightforward and reproducible technique for the isolation of a representative population of regenerating hepatocytes after partial hepatectomy in mice. The method may also aid the study of fatty liver disease.

TRAS peaks at 16 h post hepatectomy and gradually vanishes 32-48 h after standard hepatectomy, but persists beyond 48 h after extended hepatectomy. Macroscopically, TRAS is readily visible as a pale complexion of the liver remnant (Figure 1F) and can be observed in hepatectomized mice between 16 h and 48 h after surgery.
The estimated final yield is 10-15 &#215; 106 hepatocytes after 70%-hepatectomy and 4-9 &#215; 106 after extended 86%-hepat...

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Isolation of Regenerating Hepatocytes after Partial Hepatectomy in Mice

Lipid-laden hepatocytes are inherent to liver regeneration but are usually lost upon density-gradient centrifugation. Here, we present an optimized cell isolation protocol that retains steatotic hepatocytes, yielding representative populations of regenerating hepatocytes after partial hepatectomy in mice.

Partial hepatectomy has been widely used to investigate liver regeneration in mice, but the isolation of high yields of viable hepatocytes for downstream ...

The overall goal of this protocol is to present an optimized method for hepatocyte isolation in mice after partial hepatectomy without the need for density gradient centrifugation. We usually see a large percentage of lipid-laden hepatocytes during early regeneration. Those steatotic hepatocytes usually lost upon density gradient centrifugation due to the low density are retained with this protocol.To prepare the perfusion equipment, connect a 26 gauge IUI cannula to the outlet end of the tubing using a Luer lock connector. Then flush the tubing and insert the inlet end of the tube into the pre-warmed perfusion buffer tube in the water bath. Prime it with warm perfusion buffer at a pump speed of three milliliters per minute.Before proceeding with the surgery, ensure that the mouse is adequately anesthetized. Then clean the abdomen with a surgical scrub solution and 70%ethanol. Then cut the sutures to reopen the midline incision previously made for the partial hepatectomy and gently pull the wound edges apart.If the hepatectomy is older than 24 to 48 hours, remove the suture and cut the skin with scissors or a scalpel. Use a retractor or simple clips to keep the abdomen open. The abdominal cavity should be exposed as much as possible to optimize access and visualization.Fix a 5-0 polypropylene suture to the sternum. Pull it cranially and fix it in this position. Move the intestines to the right using sterile cotton swabs to reveal the portal vein and the vena cava.Use a wet cloth to retain the intestines. Place a heavy object of approximately two centimeter height such as a metal weight ring adjacent to the mouse's hind legs. Then place the tubing with the connected 26 gauge IUI cannula on the object and position the needle carefully on top of the vena cava.Adjust the length of the tubing as required. Transfer the collagenase stock solution into the pre-warmed digestion buffer tube. Prepare 10 to 20 milliliters of digestion buffer per animal.Turn on the pump after adjusting the pump speed to three milliliters per minute. Discard the first two to three milliliters of the pre-warmed perfusion buffer once the buffer reaches the needle. To perform cannulation of the inferior vena cava, use a sterile cotton swab to gently pull the vena cava caudally below the puncture so that the provided tension facilitates the insertion of the cannula into the vein.Insert the 26 gauge IUI cannula at a shallow angle into the inferior vena cava below the kidney while the buffer runs through the needle. Ensure that the needle bevel points upward. Look for blood in the flash chamber of the catheter when the needle enters the lumen.Advance the needle an additional two to three millimeters to ensure that the catheter's tip enters the vein. Slide the plastic catheter over the needle and into the vena cava another five millimeters. Remove the needle slowly and very carefully.After two to three seconds, look for white spots forming in the liver or swelling of the portal vein, which indicates that the perfusion buffer is flowing through the liver and entering the liver lobules from the central vein. Wait for the portal vein to visibly swell within one to two seconds of white spots forming on the liver surface. Cut the portal vein with scissors as distally as possible from the liver hilus.Increase the flow rate to four to seven milliliters per minute depending on the animal's weight, liver size, and the extent of the initial hepatectomy. Clamp the portal vein with tweezers or a vascular clamp for seven to 10 seconds. Make sure no fluid is passing through.Perform a second clamp after approximately 30 seconds and ensure that the liver swells and relaxes. Continue flushing the animal for three to four minutes and observe the clear buffer flowing out of the portal vein. Clamp the portal vein for three to four seconds before the digestion buffer reaches the liver.Ensure that the liver relaxes upon release of the clamp and that the perfusion fluid remains clear. Once the digestion buffer reaches the liver, clamp the portal vein once again. The liver should not relax after the release of the clamping.Digest for approximately four minutes at a flow rate of five milliliters per minute. As digestion progresses, look for signs of the liver beginning to swell and small transparent sections on the surface of the liver. Observe that the liver takes on the texture of a wet piece of cloth and appears almost soggy.Probe the consistency by carefully touching it with a damp, sterile cotton swab. Continue with the perfusion until a marked difference in the surface texture of the liver can be observed. Observe that the liver assumes a very light color and a bubbly appearance indicating the Glisson's capsule separating from the parenchyma.Stop digestion as soon as the liver has acquired these properties. Remove the needle before the air gets into the liver. Grasp the central connective tissue between the lobes using forceps and slightly lift it upward using it as an anchor point.Cut all the connections of the liver to other organs and remove the gallbladder. Remove the liver gently from the abdominal cavity. Be careful as it will be flimsy and fragile at this stage.Place the liver in the ice cold preservation buffer. Transfer the liver to a 10 centimeter Petri dish and add 10 milliliters of ice cold Williams'Medium E.Rupture the Glisson's capsule with fine tip tweezers in a few locations along the liver surface. Grasp a central part with two pairs of tweezers.Slowly pull them apart, allowing the capsule to tear without damaging the hepatocytes and release the cells by gently shaking the capsule. Filter five milliliters of liver pulp through a 100 micrometer cell strainer into a 50 milliliter tube. Rinse the filter with 10 milliliters of fresh ice cold medium and filter the remaining five milliliters of pulp through the cell strainer.Spin the extract at 50 G for five minutes at four degrees Celsius. Aspirate most of the supernatant, leaving one milliliter to resuspend the cells by gently swirling the tube. Add 40 milliliters of cold Williams'E Medium and repeat the step three times.Proceed with the isolation of hepatocytes as described in the text manuscript. After 70%hepatectomy in mice, the final hepatocyte yield was approximately 10 to 15 x 10 to the 6th with 78%mean final viability. While after extended 86%hepatectomy, the hepatocyte yield was four to nine x 10 to the 6th with 65%mean viability.After partial hepatectomies, hepatocytes show an increased cell size compared to normal livers corresponding to increased lipid content. Increased lipid content was observed in murine hepatocytes 24 hours after partial hepatectomy, seen as an increase in granularity or directly observed by the presence of lipid vesicles inside enlarged hepatocytes. While using the classic density gradient purification method, large fatty hepatocytes were lost in the supernatant and only smaller lean hepatocytes are collected in the cell pellet.With the improved protocol, the lipid-filled hepatocytes were not lost and all hepatocytes were pelleted. The repetitive clamping facilitates the flushing process. With that, the liver is optimally cleared from remaining blood components that could inhibit the digestion enzymes.

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