In memory of Dr. M&#225;rcio Lorencini, a coauthor of this work, an excellent researcher in the &#64257;eld of cosmetics and devoted to promoting cosmetic research in Brazil. The authors are grateful to the Multi-user Laboratory in the Physiology Department (UFPR) for equipment availability and for the &#64257;nancial support of the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES, Brazil) (Finance Code 001) and the Grupo Botic&#225;rio.

The key steps to generate 3D spheroids of ZFL and ZEM2S cell lines in a round-bottom 96-well plate are presented in Figure 1.
NOTE: See the Table of Materials for details related to all materials used in this protocol and Table 1 for solutions and culture media used in this protocol.
1. Cell culture medium and monolayer cultures
<ol>
	<li>Grow both cell lines (ZFL, ZEM2S) as monolayers in an incubator at 28 &#176;C without CO2, and subculture them at a subcultivation ratio of 1:3 when they reach ~80% confluence.
	<ol>
		<li>Start with a T75 flask of zebrafish cells at ~80% confluence, cultured as described above.</li>
		<li>Remove the complete medium and wash the cells by adding 1x phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) (0.01 M) to the culture flask with the aid of a pipette.</li>
		<li>With the aid of a pipette, add 3 mL of 1x trypsin-0.5 mM EDTA (0.05% [v/v]) to the culture flasks, and incubate at 28 &#176;C for 3 min for the detachment of cells from the flask.</li>
		<li>Gently tap the flask to release the cells, and then stop the trypsin digestion by adding 3 mL of complete culture medium to the flask.</li>
		<li>Using a pipette, transfer the cell suspension to a 15 mL conical centrifuge tube, and centrifuge at 100 &#215; g for 5 min.</li>
		<li>After the pellet formation, carefully remove the supernatant, add 1 mL of the complete medium for the respective cell line in use (ZFL or ZEM2S), and resuspend using a micropipette. Take an aliquot for cell counting.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
</ol>
2. Cell counting with trypan blue dye exclusion test
<ol>
	<li>Add 10 &#181;L of the cell suspension and 10 &#181;L of trypan blue dye to a microtube to count the cells and evaluate their viability. Mix the cell suspension and dye using a pipette.</li>
	<li>Then, transfer 10 &#181;L of this mixture (cell suspension + trypan blue) to a Neubauer chamber and count the cells in the four large squares (quadrants: Q) placed at the corners of the chamber, considering cells that do not take up trypan blue as viable. Calculate the number of viable cells using equation (1): 
	<img alt="Equation 1" src="/files/ftp_upload/64859/64859eq01.jpg" style="margin: auto;" />&#160; &#160; &#160;(1)</li>
	<li>To calculate the final cell number in the cell suspension, multiply the cell number determined using equation (1) by 2 (the dilution factor due to the use of trypan blue). 
	NOTE: Alternatively, an automated cell counting system can be used.</li>
</ol>
3. Cell plating in ULA-plates
<ol>
	<li>After calculating the cell number, adjust the cell suspension to plate 200 &#181;L of this suspension per well of a 96-well round-bottom ULA-plate with the number of cells required for each cell line, as indicated below:
	<ol>
		<li>Plate 7,000 viable ZFL cells/well; thus, for the entire ULA-plate, use 700,000 cells in 20 mL of complete medium.</li>
		<li>Plate 3,500 viable ZEM2S cells/well; thus, for the entire ULA-plate, use 350,000 cells in 20 mL of complete medium.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Prepare the cell suspension with the adjusted concentration of cells in a medium reservoir and mix it using a multichannel micropipette, taking care not to form foam or bubbles. Using the multichannel micropipette, add 200 &#181;L of the adjusted cell suspension to each well of the ULA-plate. 
	NOTE: The plate must be sealed with parafilm or adhesive sealing foil to avoid culture medium evaporation from the 96-well plate.</li>
</ol>
4. Spheroid formation
<ol>
	<li>Incubate the ULA-plate on an orbital shaker at 70 rpm for 5 days in a 28 &#176;C incubator. Allow the spheroids to form over 5 days of orbital shaking (Figure 2), reaching an average size of ~225 &#181;m in diameter (ZFL spheroids) and ~226 &#181;m in diameter (ZEM2S spheroids)12. 
	NOTE: After 5 days of incubation (maximum circularity), the spheroids are ready to be used.</li>
	<li>To maintain the spheroids in culture for more than 5 days, remove 100 &#181;L of the spent medium every 5 days, and add 100 &#181;L of fresh complete culture medium using a multichannel micropipette. 
	&#8203;NOTE: Take care not to aspirate the spheroids during this process.</li>
</ol>
5. Measuring size (diameter) and shape (circularity index) of spheroids
<ol>
	<li>Acquire the images.
	<ol>
		<li>Under an inverted light microscope with an imaging capture system, obtain an image of a defined scale. 
		NOTE: Use a microscope stage calibration slide or a Neubauer slide (in which the quadrant sizes are known) to obtain the scale.</li>
		<li>Under the microscope and using the same objective lens used to obtain the scale&#39;s picture, obtain images of the fully formed spheroids (i.e., 5-day-old spheroids). 
		NOTE: All images must be taken using the same imaging capture system, as image resolution is important to determine the spheroids&#39; size and shape, and it may differ among types of systems.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Set the scale.
	<ol>
		<li>Using ImageJ software, open the image of the defined scale (click File | open).</li>
		<li>Select the straight-line selector from the toolbar and, using the mouse, drag out a line across the extension of the defined scale in the image.</li>
		<li>Set the scale by selecting Analyze | Set scale, and wait for the Set Scale window to open.</li>
		<li>In the Set Scale window, fill the blank of Known distance with the known distance (&#181;m) corresponding to the straight line; fill the Unit of length with um for &#181;m. Click OK. 
		&#8203;NOTE: The scale in pixels/&#181;m is displayed at the bottom of the window.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Set the measurement parameters.
	<ol>
		<li>In the ImageJ software, select Analyze | Set measurements to open the Set measurements window.</li>
		<li>In the Set measurements window, select the boxes for the desired measurements (i.e., Area and Shape descriptors). Click OK.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Obtain the spheroids&#39; diameter and circularity.
	<ol>
		<li>Open the picture of a spheroid (File | Open).</li>
		<li>Select the freehand selection tool in the toolbar and, using the mouse, select the outer side of the spheroid, as demonstrated in Figure 3A. 
		NOTE: To zoom in or out on the image, press the Ctrl key and use the mouse to scroll down or up, or press the Ctrl key and use the up or down arrow keys on the keyboard.</li>
		<li>Select Analyze | Measure to open the Results window, in which the measured values are displayed.</li>
		<li>Using the Area value, calculate the spheroids&#39; size (diameter) using equation (2): 
		<img alt="Equation 2" src="/files/ftp_upload/64859/64859eq02.jpg" style="margin: auto;" />&#160; &#160; &#160;(2)</li>
		<li>The circularity index is given in the Results window as &#34;Circ.&#34;, and is automatically calculated by the software using equation (3): 
		<img alt="Equation 3" src="/files/ftp_upload/64859/64859eq03.jpg" style="margin: auto;" />&#160; &#160; &#160;(3) 
		NOTE: The circularity index of 1.0 represents a perfect spheroidal shape, while a value close to 0.0 indicates an elongated shape13.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
</ol>

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

This is a simple, easy, and fast method for generating spheroids of zebrafish liver and embryo cell lines. This method was developed by this group based on modifications of existing 3D spheroid methods to overcome problems reported in scientific studies related to spheroid formation, as well as uncertainties in data accuracy from 3D spheroid assays. For instance, the problems reported lie in difficulties of handling, the time-consuming nature of generating spheroids, the necessity of selecting spheroids of a similar size...

Spheroids are small spheres of cells formed when cells are cultured in close cell-to-cell contact in 3D culture. The capacity of spheroids to mimic the in vivo tissue environment has already been studied in a variety of cell lines and primary cells1,2. However, although spheroids are well developed for mammalian toxicity studies, the development of spheroids for toxicity studies with non-mammalian vertebrates (e.g., fish) is still in progress3. For fish cell lines, spheroids have been developed by a variety of different methods, such as orbital shaking (OS) using different types of well-plates3,4,5,6,7, and the method of magnetic levitation using magnetic nanoparticles8. However, some of these culture methods for spheroids may have more disadvantages than others.
For example, gyratory methods in large microplates (24-well plates) may generate a high number of spheroids differing in size and shape; indeed, multi-spheroid structure formation has been demonstrated7. This requires intense efforts to handpick spheroids with a similar size and shape for an experiment. The hanging drop 3D culture method is commonly used for generating spheroids of mammalian cell lines1,2,9,10,11, whereby single spheroids per drop can be generated, avoiding the problems described above. However, although a modified hanging drop method (hanging drop + orbital shaking) is able to generate ZFL spheroids using an inexpensive method, it has its disadvantages12. The cellular aggregates formed cannot be maintained for long periods in the drops; thus, they need to be transferred to well plates. This process requires intense handling and long periods of work in a laminar flow hood, since it is performed dropwise using a micropipette12. In addition, this method requires 10 days to fully form the ZFL spheroids (5 days in hanging drop + 5 days in OS)12. These disadvantages can limit the application of 3D fish spheroids for toxicity testing, especially considering potential applications for chemical prioritization and product sustainability.
Thus, this article describes a 3D culture protocol able to generate single spheroids of ZFL (D. rerio normal hepatocyte) and ZEM2S (D. rerio blastula phase embryo) cell lines based on the combined use of 96-well, ultra-low attachment plates (ULA-plates) and an orbital shaker (22 mm rotational diameter). The method applied is simple and reproducible, and can generate high numbers of spheroids of similar size and shape in a short period (5 days). The advantages of this method can support the application of fish 3D models for aquatic toxicity studies in both industry and academia, as well as the progress of implementing alternative methods for ecotoxicity testing.

<table><tbody><tr><td>96-well Clear Round Bottom Ultra-Low Attachment Microplate, Individually Wrapped, with Lid, Sterile</td><td>Corning</td><td>7007</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>DMEM, powder, high glucose, pyruvate</td><td>Gibco</td><td>12800-017</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Ham&#039;s F-12 Nutrient Mix, powder</td><td>Gibco</td><td>21700026</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>HEPES (1M)</td><td>Gibco</td><td>15630080</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Image Processing and analysis in Java (ImageJ) 1.52p software</td><td>&amp;nbsp;National&lt;br/&gt; Institutes of Health, USA</td><td></td><td>Available at: https://imagej.nih.gov/ij/index.html</td></tr><tr><td>Leibovitz&#039;s L-15 Medium, powder</td><td>Gibco</td><td>41300021</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Orbital shaker&amp;nbsp;</td><td>Warmnest</td><td>KLD-350-BI</td><td>22 mm rotation diameter</td></tr><tr><td>Dulbeccos PBS (10x) with calcium and magnesium</td><td>Invitrogen</td><td>14080055</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Penicillin-Streptomycin (10,000 U/mL)</td><td>Gibco</td><td>15140122</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>RPMI 1640 Medium</td><td>Gibco</td><td>31800-014</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>FBS - Fetal Bovine Serum, qualified, USDA-approved regions</td><td>Gibco</td><td>12657-029</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Sodium bicarbonate, powder,&amp;nbsp; bioreagent for molecular biology</td><td>Sigma-Aldrich</td><td>S5761</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Trypan blue stain (0,4%)</td><td>Gibco</td><td>15250-061</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Trypsin-EDTA (0.5%), no phenol red</td><td>Gibco</td><td>15400054</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>ZEM2S cell line</td><td>ATCC</td><td>CRL-2147</td><td>This cell line was kindly donated by Professor Dr. Michael J.&lt;br/&gt; Carvan (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA)</td></tr><tr><td>ZFL cell line</td><td>BCRJ</td><td>256</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

a 3d culture method of spheroids of embryonic and liver zebrafish cell lines

Fish cell lines are promising in vitro models for ecotoxicity assessment; however, conventional monolayer culture systems (2D culture) have well-known limitations (e.g., culture longevity and maintenance of some in vivo cellular functions). Thus, 3D cultures, such as spheroids, have been proposed, since these models can reproduce tissue-like structures, better recapturing the in vivo conditions. This article describes an effective, easy, and fast 3D culture protocol for the formation of spheroids with two zebrafish (Danio rerio) cell lines: ZEM2S (embryo) and ZFL (normal hepatocyte). The protocol consists of plating the cells in a round-bottom, ultra-low attachment, 96-well plate. After 5 days under orbital shaking (70 rpm), a single spheroid per well is formed. The formed spheroids present stable size and shape, and this method avoids the formation of multiple spheroids in a well; thus, it is not necessary to handpick spheroids of similar sizes. The ease, speed, and reproducibility of this spheroid method make it useful for high-throughput in vitro tests.

Single spheroids per well with a stable size and shape are formed by this method. Figure 2 illustrates the formation process of single spheroids of ZFL and ZEM2S cells in a well of a ULA-plate under orbital shaking (70 rpm). The ZFL and ZEM2S cell lines have different behaviors in 3D culture. The ZEM2S cell line presents features that confer the ability to readily form a spheroidal shape since the first day of the orbital shaking (Figure 2E), while the ZFL cell ...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about A 3D Culture Method of Spheroids of Embryonic and Liver Zebrafish Cell Lines at JoVE.com

A 3D Culture Method of Spheroids of Embryonic and Liver Zebrafish Cell Lines

Here, we present an effective, easy, and fast 3D culture protocol for the formation of spheroids of two zebrafish (Danio rerio) cell lines: ZEM2S (embryo) and ZFL (normal hepatocyte).

Fish cell lines are promising in vitro models for ecotoxicity assessment; however, conventional monolayer culture systems (2D culture) have well-known ...

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Research

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2.5K Views.  Federal University of Paraná (UFPR). Here, we present an effective, easy, and fast 3D culture protocol for the formation of spheroids of two zebrafish (Danio rerio) cell lines: ZEM2S (embryo) and ZFL (normal hepatocyte).

Video: A 3D Culture Method of Spheroids of Embryonic and Liver Zebrafish Cell Lines

A Simple Hanging Drop Cell Culture Protocol for Generation of 3D Spheroids

Studies of cell-cell cohesion and cell-substratum adhesion have historically been performed on monolayer cultures adherent to rigid substrates. Cells within a tissue, however, are typically encased within a closely packed tissue mass in which cells establish intimate connections with many near-neighbors and with extracellular matrix components. Accordingly, the chemical milieu and physical forces experienced by cells within a 3D tissue are fundamentally different than those experienced by cells grown in monolayer culture. This has been shown to markedly impact cellular morphology and signaling. Several methods have been devised to generate 3D cell cultures including encapsulation of cells in collagen gels1or in biomaterial scaffolds2. Such methods, while useful, do not recapitulate the intimate direct cell-cell adhesion architecture found in normal tissues. Rather, they more closely approximate culture systems in which single cells are loosely dispersed within a 3D meshwork of ECM products. Here, we describe a simple method in which cells are placed in hanging drop culture and incubated under physiological conditions until they form true 3D spheroids in which cells are in direct contact with each other and with extracellular matrix components. The method requires no specialized equipment and can be adapted to include addition of any biological agent in very small quantities that may be of interest in elucidating effects on cell-cell or cell-ECM interaction. The method can also be used to co-culture two (or more) different cell populations so as to elucidate the role of cell-cell or cell-ECM interactions in specifying spatial relationships between cells. Cell-cell cohesion and cell-ECM adhesion are the cornerstones of studies of embryonic development, tumor-stromal cell interaction in malignant invasion, wound healing, and for applications to tissue engineering. This simple method will provide a means of generating tissue-like cellular aggregates for measurement of biomechanical properties or for molecular and biochemical analysis in a physiologically relevant model.

We describe a simple, rapid method of generating 3D tissue-like spheroids and their potential application to quantify differences in cell-cell interactions.

Studies of cell-cell cohesion and cell-substratum adhesion have historically been performed on monolayer cultures adherent to rigid substrates. Cells ...

Bioengineering

Isolation and Culture of Adult Zebrafish Brain-derived Neurospheres

The zebrafish is a highly relevant model organism for understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in neurogenesis and brain regeneration in vertebrates. However, an in-depth analysis of the molecular mechanisms underlying zebrafish adult neurogenesis has been limited due to the lack of a reliable protocol for isolating and culturing neural adult stem/progenitor cells. Here we provide a reproducible method to examine adult neurogenesis using a neurosphere assay derived from zebrafish whole brain or from the telencephalon, tectum and cerebellum regions of the adult zebrafish brain. The protocol involves, first the microdissection of zebrafish adult brain, then single cell dissociation and isolation of self-renewing multipotent neural stem/progenitor cells. The entire procedure takes eight days. Additionally, we describe how to manipulate gene expression in zebrafish neurospheres, which will be particularly useful to test the role of specific signaling pathways during adult neural stem/progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation in zebrafish.

Here we provide a reproducible method to examine adult neurogenesis using a neurosphere assay derived from the whole brain or from either the telencephalic, tectal or cerebellar regions of the adult zebrafish brain. Additionally, we describe the procedure to manipulate gene expression in zebrafish neurospheres.

The zebrafish is a highly relevant model organism for understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in neurogenesis and brain regeneration ...

Developmental Biology

Isolation and Characterization of Single Cells from Zebrafish Embryos

The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a powerful model organism to study vertebrate development. Though many aspects of zebrafish embryonic development have been described at the morphological level, little is known about the molecular basis of cellular changes that occur as the organism develops. With recent advancements in microfluidics and multiplexing technologies, it is now possible to characterize gene expression in single cells. This allows for investigation of heterogeneity between individual cells of specific cell populations to identify and classify cell subtypes, characterize intermediate states that occur during cell differentiation, and explore differential cellular responses to stimuli. This study describes a protocol to isolate viable, single cells from zebrafish embryos for high throughput multiplexing assays. This method may be rapidly applied to any zebrafish embryonic cell type with fluorescent markers. An extension of this method may also be used in combination with high throughput sequencing technologies to fully characterize the transcriptome of single cells. As proof of principle, the relative abundance of cardiac differentiation markers was assessed in isolated, single cells derived from nkx2.5 positive cardiac progenitors. By evaluation of gene expression at the single cell level and at a single time point, the data support a model in which cardiac progenitors coexist with differentiating progeny. The method and work flow described here is broadly applicable to the zebrafish research community, requiring only a labeled transgenic fish line and access to microfluidics technologies.

This protocol describes a method for isolating single cells from zebrafish embryos, enriching for cells of interest, capturing zebrafish cells in microfluidic based single cell multiplex systems, and assessing gene expression from single cells.

The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a powerful model organism to study vertebrate development. Though many aspects of zebrafish embryonic development have been ...

Development of an In Vitro Assay to Quantitate Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells (HSPCs) in Developing Zebrafish Embryos

Hematopoiesis is an essential cellular process in which hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) differentiate into the multitude of different cell lineages that comprise mature blood. Isolation and identification of these HSPCs is difficult because they are defined ex post facto; they can only be defined after their differentiation into specific cell lineages. Over the past few decades, the zebrafish (Danio rerio) has become a model organism to study hematopoiesis. Zebrafish embryos develop ex utero, and by 48 h post-fertilization (hpf) have generated definitive HSPCs. Assays to assess HSPC differentiation and proliferation capabilities have been developed, utilizing transplantation and subsequent reconstitution of the hematopoietic system in addition to visualizing specialized transgenic lines with confocal microscopy. However, these assays are cost prohibitive, technically difficult, and time consuming for many laboratories. Development of an in vitro model to assess HSPCs would be cost effective, quicker, and present fewer difficulties compared to previously described methods, allowing laboratories to quickly assess mutagenesis and drug screens that affect HSPC biology. This novel in vitro assay to assess HSPCs is performed by plating dissociated whole zebrafish embryos and adding exogenous factors that promote only HSPC differentiation and proliferation. Embryos are dissociated into single cells and plated with HSPC-supportive colony stimulating factors that cause them to generate colony forming units (CFUs) that arise from a single progenitor cell. These assays should allow more careful examination of the molecular pathways responsible for HSPC proliferation, differentiation, and regulation, which will allow researchers to understand the underpinnings of vertebrate hematopoiesis and its dysregulation during disease.

Development of an In Vitro Assay to Quantitate Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells HSPCs in Developing Zebrafish Embryos

Here, we present a simple method to quantitate hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) in embryonic zebrafish. HSPCs from dissociated zebrafish are plated in methylcellulose with supportive factors, differentiating into mature blood. This allows the detection of blood defects and allows drug screening to be easily conducted.

Hematopoiesis is an essential cellular process in which hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) differentiate into the multitude of different cell ...

Culture and Transfection of Zebrafish Primary Cells

Zebrafish embryos are transparent and develop rapidly outside the mother, thus allowing for excellent in vivo imaging of dynamic biological processes in an intact and developing vertebrate. However, the detailed imaging of the morphologies of distinct cell types and subcellular structures is limited in whole mounts. Therefore, we established an efficient and easy-to-use protocol to culture live primary cells from zebrafish embryos and adult tissue.
In brief, 2 dpf zebrafish embryos are dechorionated, deyolked, sterilized, and dissociated to single cells with collagenase. After a filtration step, primary cells are plated onto glass bottom dishes and cultivated for several days. Fresh cultures, as much as long term differenciated ones, can be used for high resolution confocal imaging studies. The culture contains different cell types, with striated myocytes and neurons being prominent on poly-L-lysine coating. To specifically label subcellular structures by fluorescent marker proteins, we also established an electroporation protocol which allows the transfection of plasmid DNA into different cell types, including neurons. Thus, in the presence of operator defined stimuli, complex cell behavior, and intracellular dynamics of primary zebrafish cells can be assessed with high spatial and temporal resolution. In addition, by using adult zebrafish brain, we demonstrate that the described dissociation technique, as well as the basic culturing conditions, also work for adult zebrafish tissue.

We present an efficient and easy-to-use protocol for preparing primary cell cultures of zebrafish embryos for transfection and live cell imaging as well as a protocol to prepare primary cells from adult zebrafish brain.

Zebrafish embryos are transparent and develop rapidly outside the mother, thus allowing for excellent in vivo imaging of dynamic biological processes in ...

A 3-D Tail Explant Culture to Study Vertebrate Segmentation in Zebrafish

Vertebrate embryos pattern their major body axis as repetitive somites, the precursors of vertebrae, muscle, and skin. Somites progressively segment from the presomitic mesoderm (PSM) as the tail end of the embryo elongates posteriorly. Somites form with regular periodicity and scale in size. Zebrafish is a popular model organism as it is genetically tractable and has transparent embryos that allow for live imaging. Nevertheless, during somitogenesis, fish embryos are wrapped around a large, rounding yolk. This geometry limits live imaging of PSM tissue in zebrafish embryos, particularly at higher resolutions that require a close objective working distance. Here, we present a flattened 3-D tissue culture method for live imaging of zebrafish tail explants. Tail explants mimic intact embryos by displaying a proportional slowdown of axis elongation and shortening of rostrocaudal somite lengths. We are further able to stall axis elongation speed through explant culture. This, for the first time, enables us to untangle the chemical input of signaling gradients from the mechanistic input of axial elongation. In future studies, this method can be combined with a microfluidic setup to allow time-controlled pharmaceutical perturbations or screening of vertebrate segmentation without any drug penetration concerns.

Here, we present the protocol for 3-D tissue culture of the zebrafish posterior body axis, enabling live study of vertebrate segmentation. This explant model provides control over axis elongation, alteration of morphogen sources, and subcellular resolution tissue-level live imaging.

Vertebrate embryos pattern their major body axis as repetitive somites, the precursors of vertebrae, muscle, and skin. Somites progressively segment from ...

Semi-Automated Phenotypic Analysis of Functional 3D Spheroid Cell Cultures

We present a protocol that describes the properties and advantages of using a standalone clinostat incubator for growing, treating, and monitoring 3D cell cultures. The clinostat mimics an environment where cells can assemble as highly reproducible spheroids with low shear forces and active nutrient diffusion. We demonstrate that both cancer and non-cancer hepatocytes (HepG2/C3A and THLE-3 cell lines) require 3 weeks of growth prior to achieving functionalities comparable to liver cells. This protocol highlights the convenience of utilizing incubators for 3D cells with cameras monitoring the cell growth, as snapshots can be taken to count and measure spheroids upon treatment. We describe the comparison of THLE-3 and HepG2/C3A cell lines, showing how non-cancerous cell lines can be grown as well as immortalized cancer cells. We demonstrate and illustrate how proteomics experiments can be conducted from a few spheroids, which can be collected without perturbing cell signaling, i.e., no trypsinization required. We show that proteomics analysis can be used to monitor the typical liver phenotype of respiratory chain metabolism and the production of proteins involved in metal detoxification and describe a semi-automated system to count and measure the spheroid's area. Altogether, the protocol presents a toolbox that comprises a phenotypic characterization via image capture and a proteomics pipeline to experiment on 3D cell culture models.

We present a protocol for growing high-reproducible spheroids and their phenotypic characterization using image capture and proteomics.

We present a protocol that describes the properties and advantages of using a standalone clinostat incubator for growing, treating, and monitoring 3D cell ...

Biochemistry

Generation of Dispersed Presomitic Mesoderm Cell Cultures for Imaging of the Zebrafish Segmentation Clock in Single Cells

Segmentation is a periodic and sequential morphogenetic process in vertebrates. This rhythmic formation of blocks of tissue called somites along the body axis is evidence of a genetic oscillator patterning the developing embryo. In zebrafish, the intracellular clock driving segmentation is comprised of members of the Her/Hes transcription factor family organized into negative feedback loops. We have recently generated transgenic fluorescent reporter lines for the cyclic gene her1 that recapitulate the spatio-temporal pattern of oscillations in the presomitic mesoderm (PSM). Using these lines, we developed an in vitro culture system that allows real-time analysis of segmentation clock oscillations within single, isolated PSM cells. By removing PSM tissue from transgenic embryos and then dispersing cells from oscillating regions onto glass-bottom dishes, we generated cultures suitable for time-lapse imaging of fluorescence signal from individual clock cells. This approach provides an experimental and conceptual framework for direct manipulation of the segmentation clock with unprecedented single-cell resolution, allowing its cell-autonomous and tissue-level properties to be distinguished and dissected.

Somitogenesis is a rhythmic developmental process that spatially patterns the body axis of vertebrate embryos. Previously, we developed transgenic zebrafish lines that use fluorescent reporters to observe the cyclic genes that drive this process. Here, we culture dispersed cells from these lines and image their oscillations over time in vitro.

Segmentation is a  periodic and sequential morphogenetic process in vertebrates. This rhythmic  formation of blocks of tissue called somites along the ...

Biology

Imaging and 3D Reconstruction of Cerebrovascular Structures in Embryonic Zebrafish

Zebrafish are a powerful tool to study developmental biology and pathology in vivo. The small size and relative transparency of zebrafish embryos make them particularly useful for the visual examination of processes such as heart and vascular development. In several recent studies transgenic zebrafish that express EGFP in vascular endothelial cells were used to image and analyze complex vascular networks in the brain and retina, using confocal microscopy. Descriptions are provided to prepare, treat and image zebrafish embryos that express enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP), and then generate comprehensive 3D renderings of the cerebrovascular system. Protocols include the treatment of embryos, confocal imaging, and fixation protocols that preserve EGFP fluorescence. Further, useful tips on obtaining high-quality images of cerebrovascular structures, such as removal the eye without damaging nearby neural tissue are provided. Potential pitfalls with confocal imaging are discussed, along with the steps necessary to generate 3D reconstructions from confocal image stacks using freely available open source software.

Imaging of cerebrovascular development in larval zebrafish is described. Techniques to facilitate 3D imaging and modify cerebrovascular development using chemical treatments are also provided.

Zebrafish are a powerful tool to study developmental biology and pathology in vivo.  The small size and relative transparency of zebrafish embryos make ...

Assembloid Technology: Pioneering Liver Development Research

In Vitro Cultivation Techniques for Modeling Liver Organogenesis, Building Assembloids, and Designing Synthetic Tissues using Human Cell Lines

Chronic liver disease has reached epidemic proportions, affecting over 800 million people globally. The current treatment, orthotopic liver transplantation, has several limitations. Promising solutions have emerged in the field of liver regenerative medicine, with liver organogenesis holding significant potential. Early liver organogenesis, occurring between E8.5 and 11.5, involves the formation of epithelial-mesenchymal interactions leading to morphogenesis, hepatic cord formation, and collective migration. However, there is a lack of methods for in vitro modeling of this process. In this study, a detailed series of methods is presented, enabling the modeling of various stages and aspects of liver organogenesis with human cell lines. In one method series, assembloid technology with hepatic (HEP) and mesenchymal (MES) spheroids are utilized, replicating early structures found in liver organogenesis, modeling early morphogenesis, and demonstrating interstitial cell migration as seen in vivo. These innovative assembloid systems help identify factors influencing assembloid formation and migration. HEP spheroid cultivation systems were also employed to model collective migration and branching morphogenesis. Mesenchymal-conditioned media (M-CM) plays a significant role in initiating dose-dependent branching migration. All presented methods were shown to be highly reproducible with a high success rate. By linking these events together, our work will enable recreating sequential, morphogenetic events to reverse engineer organogenesis in vitro and in vivo.

Organoids revolutionize personalized tissue modeling for organ development, drug discovery, and disease research. Organoid engineering advances into creating intricate synthetic tissues. The aim is to integrate morphogenesis, assembloid technology, and biomatrices to advance tissue engineering. This protocol aids in modeling liver organogenesis and establishing guidelines for synthetic tissue construction.