JoVE General
Bioluminescence Imaging of Heme Oxygenase-1 Upregulation in the Gua Sha Procedure
1Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 2Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 3Gastrointestinal Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 4Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 5Center for biotechnology and Informatics, The Methodist Hospital Research Institute, 6Department of Radiology, The Methodist Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical College, 7Bejing University of Chinese Medicine, 8Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 9Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Gua Sha, traditional Chinese therapeutic skin scraping, causes subcutaneous microvascular blood extravasation. We report a protocol of bioluminescence imaging of HO-1-luciferase transgenic mice to demonstrate that Gua Sha upregulates heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in multiple organs.
JoVE Bioengineering
A Cre-Lox P Recombination Approach for the Detection of Cell Fusion In Vivo
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2Department of Biomedical Engineering, Materials Science Program, Laboratory for Optical and Computational Instrumentation, University of Wisconsin-Madison
A method to track cell fusion in living organisms over time is described. The approach utilizes Cre-LoxP recombination to induce luciferase expression upon cell fusion. The luminescent signal generated can be detected in living organisms using biophotonic imaging systems with a sensitivity of detection of ˜1,000 cells in peripheral tissues.
JoVE Immunology and Infection
In vivo Imaging of Transgenic Leishmania Parasites in a Live Host
1Interdisciplinary Immunology Program, University of Iowa, and the VA Medical Center, 2Department of Biochemistry, University of Iowa, and the VA Medical Center, 3Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, 4Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, 5Division of Dermatology, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Hanley-Hardison Research Center, 6Interdisciplinary Immunology Program, Iowa City VA Medical Center, 7Departments of Internal Medicine, Microbiology and Epidemiology, University of Iowa
An in vivo imaging system is used to generate quantitative measurements of murine infection with the Trypanosomatid protozoan Leishmania. This is a non-invasive and non-lethal method for detecting parasites expressing luciferase within many tissues throughout the course of chronic Leishmania spp. infection.
JoVE Immunology and Infection
Induction of Graft-versus-host Disease and In Vivo T Cell Monitoring Using an MHC-matched Murine Model
Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University Medical Center
Murine bone marrow transplantation is a widely used technique to study immunological mechanisms governing graft-versus-host disease in humans. The ability to monitor T cell trafficking patterns in vivo allows for detailed analysis of the development and perpetuation of T cell responses during graft-versus-host disease.
JoVE Bioengineering
Development, Expansion, and In vivo Monitoring of Human NK Cells from Human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESCs) and and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs)
1Department of Medicine (Hematology, Oncology, and Transplant), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 2Stem Cell Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
This protocol describes the development, expansion, and in vivo imaging of NK cells derived from hESCs and iPSCs.
JoVE Immunology and Infection
Isolation and Analysis of Brain-sequestered Leukocytes from Plasmodium berghei ANKA-infected Mice
The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
A method for isolation of adherent inflammatory leukocytes from brain blood vessels of Plasmodium berghei ANKA-infected mice is described. The method allows quantification as well as phenotypic characterization of isolated leukocytes after staining with fluorescent antibodies and subsequent analysis by flow cytometry.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Orthotopic Xenografting of Human Luciferase-Tagged Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor Cells for in vivo Testing of Candidate Therapeutic Agents
1Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham - UAB, 2Department of Radiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham - UAB, 3Department of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham - UAB
A method for reliably grafting luciferase-tagged human malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor cells into the sciatic nerve of immunodeficient mice is described. The use of bioluminescence imaging to demonstrate proper establishment of tumor grafts and criteria for random segregation of animals into study groups are also discussed.
JoVE Immunology and Infection
In Vivo Imaging Systems (IVIS) Detection of a Neuro-Invasive Encephalitic Virus
Experimental Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch
Utilizing luciferase and in vivo imaging systems (IVIS) as a novel means to identify disease endpoints before clinical developments occur. IVIS has allowed us to visualize in real time the invasion of encephalitic viruses over multiple days, providing a more accurate disease model for future study. It has also allowed us to identify the potential protective features of antivirals and vaccines faster than currently utilized animal models. The capability to utilize individual animals over multiple time points ensures reduced animal requirements, costs, and overall morbidity to the animals utilized ensuring a more humane and more scientific means of disease study.
JoVE Neuroscience
Slice Preparation, Organotypic Tissue Culturing and Luciferase Recording of Clock Gene Activity in the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus
Swedish Medical Nanoscience Center, Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet
The procedure of preparing slices containing the adult mouse hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), and a rapid way to culture the SCN tissue in organotypic culture condition, are reported. Further, the measurement of oscillatory clock gene protein expression using dynamic luciferase reporter technology is described.
JoVE General
Quantitation and Analysis of the Formation of HO-Endonuclease Stimulated Chromosomal Translocations by Single-Strand Annealing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
1Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, 2Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center and Beckman Research Institute, 3Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern California, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center
The HO-stimulated translocation assay monitors single-strand annealing following the creation of DNA double-strand breaks at multiple loci in diploid Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This mechanism may model genome rearrangements in somatic cells of higher eukaryotes following exposure to high doses of ionizing radiation.
JoVE General
Intracellular Refolding Assay
Institute of Toxicology and Genetics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
In this protocol a method to measure intracellular protein refolding after heat shock is described. This method can be used to study foldases like molecular chaperones and their co-factors or compounds able to influence their activity. Firefly luciferase activity is used as reporter to measure chaperone refolding activity.
JoVE Immunology and Infection
Accelerated Type 1 Diabetes Induction in Mice by Adoptive Transfer of Diabetogenic CD4+ T Cells
Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine
We provide a reproducible method to induce type 1 diabetes (T1D) in mice within two weeks by the adoptive transfer of islet antigen-specific, primary CD4+ T cells.
JoVE General
Monitoring Cell-autonomous Circadian Clock Rhythms of Gene Expression Using Luciferase Bioluminescence Reporters
Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Memphis
Circadian clocks function within individual cells, i.e., they are cell-autonomous. Here, we describe methods for generating cell-autonomous clock models using non-invasive, luciferase-based real-time bioluminescence technology. Reporter cells provide tractable, functional model systems for studying circadian biology.
JoVE General
Antibody Profiling by Luciferase Immunoprecipitation Systems (LIPS)
The technical aspects of performing LIPS (Luciferase Immunoprecipitation Systems) are described. The overall approach involves expressing chimeric genes encoding antigens fused to Renilla luciferase (Ruc) in mammalian cells. Crude Ruc-antigen extracts are then prepared and, without purification, employed in immunoprecipitation assays to quantify antibodies.
JoVE Bioengineering
Bioluminescence Imaging for Assessment of Immune Responses Following Implantation of Engineered Heart Tissue (EHT)
1Transplant and Stem Cell Immunobiology Lab (TSI) and CVRC, University Hospital Hamburg, University Heart Center Hamburg, 2Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Heart Center Hamburg, 3CT Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine
This video demonstrates the use of in vivo bioluminescence imaging to study immune responses after implantation of Engineered Heart Tissue (EHT) in rats.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Programmed Electrical Stimulation in Mice
1Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine (BCM), 2The Margaret M. and Albert B. Alkek Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine (BCM)
Programmed electrical stimulation provides the ability to determine conduction properties of the heart, and the possibility to induce and terminate cardiac arrhythmias using various pacing protocols. Using a transvenous catheter, intracardiac electrogram recordings can be obtained in mice following programmed electrical stimulation protocols to identify arrhythmogenic substrates.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Molecular Imaging to Target Transplanted Muscle Progenitor Cells
1Imaging Program, Lawson Health Research Institute, 2Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Western University, 3Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University
A non-invasive means to evaluate the success of myoblast transplantation is described. The method takes advantage of a unified fusion reporter gene composed of genes whose expression can be imaged with different imaging modalities. Here, we make use of a fluc reporter gene sequence to target cells via bioluminescence imaging.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
In vivo Dual Substrate Bioluminescent Imaging
Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University
Herein we describe the methods to construct, visualize, and quantify the bioluminescent reactions of both firefly and renilla luciferase enzymes expressed in metastatic breast cancer cells during their growth and metastasis in vivo.
JoVE Immunology and Infection
Overcoming Unresponsiveness in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE) Resistant Mouse Strains by Adoptive Transfer and Antigenic Challenge
1Department of Medicine, Section of Cardiology, St. John-Providence Health System, 2Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine
Certain mouse strains are able to resist induction of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) with myelin basic protein. Described here is a simple immunization protocol that reverses the unresponsiveness and induces paralytic disease in several typical EAE resistant mouse stains.
JoVE General
In vivo Imaging and Therapeutic Treatments in an Orthotopic Mouse Model of Ovarian Cancer
1Department of Medical Oncology, Women's Cancer Program, 2Transgenic Mouse Facility, Fox Chase Cancer Center
Orthotopic animal models of ovarian cancer replicate better human disease and therefore enhance our understanding of cancer progression and tumor response to therapy. A mouse model receives an intrabursal injection of luciferase-expressing ovarian tumor cells. Treatment is administered via oral gavage. Tumor growth is monitored by in vivo imaging system.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Intraductal Injection of LPS as a Mouse Model of Mastitis: Signaling Visualized via an NF-κB Reporter Transgenic
1Cancer Biology Department, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 2Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 3Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Hawaii at Hilo College of Pharmacy
Described here is a technique in which lipopolysaccharide is injected into the lactating mouse mammary gland via the nipple to simulate mastitis, a condition commonly caused by bacterial infection. Lipopolysaccharide injection results in increased nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling, visualized through bioluminescent imaging of an NF-κB luciferase reporter mouse.
JoVE Neuroscience
Direct Intraventricular Delivery of Drugs to the Rodent Central Nervous System
Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine
We describe a method to target drugs to the central nervous system by either implanting a catheter or performing a bolus injection into the right lateral ventricle in mice. We focus specifically on the delivery of antisense oligonucleotides. This technique is readily adaptable to other drugs and to rats.
JoVE General
Studying Membrane Biogenesis with a Luciferase-Based Reporter Gene Assay
1Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Harvard, 2Molecular and Metabolic Signalling Centre, Division of Basic Medical Sciences, St. George's University of London
Here, we describe procedures for studying changes in phagocytosis-induced gene expression with a luciferase-based reporter gene approach using the Dual-GloTM Luciferase Assay System from Promega.
JoVE General
Tissue Targeted Embryonic Chimeras: Zebrafish Gastrula Cell Transplantation
Department of Biological Sciences, Smith College
Zebrafish cell transplantation enables the combination of genetics and embryology to generate tissue specific chimeras. This video demonstrates gastrula staged cell transplantations that have allowed our lab to investigate the roles of astroglial populations and specific guidance cues during commissure formation in the forebrain.
JoVE Immunology and Infection
Using Luciferase to Image Bacterial Infections in Mice
Microbial & Molecular Pathogenesis, Texas A&M Health Science Center
Methods for bioluminescence imaging of bacterial infections in living animals are decribed. Pathogens are modified to express luciferase allowing optical whole body imaging of infections in live animals. Animal models can be infected with luciferase expressing pathogens and the resulting course of disease visualized in real-time by bioluminescence imaging.
JoVE General
Transplantation of GFP-expressing Blastomeres for Live Imaging of Retinal and Brain Development in Chimeric Zebrafish Embryos
1Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh, 2Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh
We demonstrate a protocol to generate chimeric zebrafish embryos for live imaging cellular behavior during embryogenesis.
JoVE General
Genomic Transformation of the Picoeukaryote Ostreococcus tauri
1SynthSys, University of Edinburgh, 2Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris 06, 3UMR 7621, Laboratoire d'Océanographie Microbienne, Observatoire Océanologique, Banyuls-sur-Mer, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris 06
This article describes genetic transformation of the unicellular marine alga Ostreococcus tauri by electroporation. This eukaryotic organism is an effective model platform for higher plants, possesing greatly reduced genomic and cellular complexity and being readily amenable to both cell culture and chemical biology.
JoVE General
In vitro and in vivo Bioluminescence Reporter Gene Imaging of Human Embryonic Stem Cells
Departments of Radiology and Medicine (Cardiology), Stanford University School of Medicine
With the growing interest in stem cell therapies, molecular imaging techniques are ideal for monitoring stem cell behavior after transplantation. Luciferase reporter genes have enabled non-invasive, repetitive assessment of cell survival, location, and proliferation in vivo. This video will demonstrate how to track hESC proliferation in a living mouse.
JoVE Neuroscience
Establishing Intracranial Brain Tumor Xenografts With Subsequent Analysis of Tumor Growth and Response to Therapy using Bioluminescence Imaging
Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco - UCSF
Luciferase-modified human brain tumor xenografts can be established intracranially in athymic mice, with subsequent monitoring of tumor growth and response to therapy using bioluminescence imaging. In combination with survival analysis, bioluminescence monitoring is an essential research tool for pre-clinical testing of therapies being considered for treating brain tumors.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
In vivo Bioluminescence Imaging of Tumor Hypoxia Dynamics of Breast Cancer Brain Metastasis in a Mouse Model
1Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 2Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 3Department of Radiation Oncology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine
Bioluminescence imaging of hypoxia inducible factor-1α activity is applied to monitor intracranial tumor hypoxia development in a breast cancer brain metastasis mouse model.
JoVE General
Identifying Targets of Human microRNAs with the LightSwitch Luciferase Assay System using 3'UTR-reporter Constructs and a microRNA Mimic in Adherent Cells
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulators of gene expression and have been shown to play a role in numerous biological processes. To better understand miRNA-UTR interactions, we have created a genome-wide collection of 3 UTR luciferase reporters paired with a novel luciferase gene and assay reagent, the LightSwitch system.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Monitoring Tumor Metastases and Osteolytic Lesions with Bioluminescence and Micro CT Imaging
Imaging Biology Research and Development, Caliper Life Sciences
An experimental mouse model of bone metastasis was established following intracardiac delivery of luciferase expressing mammary tumor cells. Tumor development and resulted osteolytic lesion were monitored longitudinally with bioluminescence and micro CT imaging.
JoVE General
Induction and Testing of Hypoxia in Cell Culture
Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine
Here we propose simple methods to induce hypoxia in cell cultures and simple tests to evaluate the hypoxic status of the cultures.
JoVE General
In vivo Bioluminescent Imaging of Mammary Tumors Using IVIS Spectrum
Biology Research and Development , Caliper Life Sciences
Mammary tumor cells expressing luciferase are implanted subcutaneously in mice and visualized using optical imaging to monitor tumor growth and development non-invasively in a longitudinal study.
JoVE Bioengineering
Introduction to the Ultrasound Targeted Microbubble Destruction Technique
Department of Medicine, JABSOM, University of Hawaii
Ultrasound Targeted Microbubble Destruction (UTMD) can be used to direct site-specific delivery of bioactive molecules, including therapeutic genes, to target organs accessible to ultrasound, such as the heart and liver1-6.
JoVE Immunology and Infection
Examination of Thymic Positive and Negative Selection by Flow Cytometry
Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta
We present a flow cytometry-based method to examine T cell development in vivo using genetically manipulated mice on a wildtype or T cell receptor transgenic background.
JoVE General
In vitro Transcription and Capping of Gaussia Luciferase mRNA Followed by HeLa Cell Transfection
RNA Biology, New England Biolabs
This method describes high yield in vitro synthesis of both capped and uncapped mRNA from a linearized plasmid containing the Gaussia luciferase (GLuc) gene. The RNA is purified and a fraction of the uncapped RNA is enzymatically capped using the Vaccinia virus capping enzyme. In the final step, the mRNA is transfected into HeLa cells and cell culture supernatants are assayed for luciferase activity.
JoVE Immunology and Infection
An In vitro Co-infection Model to Study Plasmodium falciparum-HIV-1 Interactions in Human Primary Monocyte-derived Immune Cells
Infectious Disease Research Center, CHUL (CHUQ), Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
We have developed an in vitro malaria-HIV-1 co-infection model to study the impact of Plasmodium falciparum on the HIV-1 replicative cycle in human primary monocyte-derived macrophages. This versatile system can easily be adapted to other primary cell types susceptible to HIV-1 infection.
JoVE Immunology and Infection
Protocol for Recombinant RBD-based SARS Vaccines: Protein Preparation, Animal Vaccination and Neutralization Detection
Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center
This protocol describes a general procedure for studying recombinant receptor-binding domain (RBD)-based subunit vaccines against SARS. It includes methods for transfection and expression of RBD protein in 293T cells, immunization of mice with RBD and detection of neutralization activity of mouse sera using an established SARS pseudovirus neutralization assay.
JoVE Neuroscience
In vivo Neuronal Calcium Imaging in C. elegans
1Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Boston University School of Medicine, 2Boston University Photonics Center
With its small transparent body, well-documented neuroanatomy and a host of amenable genetic techniques and reagents, C. elegans makes an ideal model organism for in vivo neuronal imaging using relatively simple, low-cost techniques. Here we describe single neuron imaging within intact adult animals using genetically encoded fluorescent calcium indicators.
JoVE Immunology and Infection
Quantitative Measurement of the Immune Response and Sleep in Drosophila
Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
To understand a link between the immune response and behavior, we describe a method to measure locomotor behavior in Drosophila during bacterial infection as well as the ability of flies to mount an immune response by monitoring survival, bacterial load, and real-time activity of a key regulator of innate immunity, NFκB.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Mammary Transplantation of Stromal Cells and Carcinoma Cells in C57BL/6J Mice
Department of Pathology, University of Kansas Medical Center
In this report, we demonstrate a system to isolate and culture donor cells from the mouse mammary gland, and orthotopically transplant these cells in recipient mice to analyze stromal: epithelial interactions during mammary tumor development.
JoVE General
Purification of Hsp104, a Protein Disaggregase
Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania
Here, we describe a protocol for the purification of highly active Hsp104, a hexameric AAA+ protein from yeast, which couples ATP hydrolysis to protein disaggregation. This scheme exploits a His6-tagged construct for affinity purification from E. coli followed by anion-exchange chromatography, His6-tag removal with TEV protease, and size-exclusion chromatography.
JoVE Immunology and Infection
Efficient Recombinant Parvovirus Production with the Help of Adenovirus-derived Systems
1Tumour Virology Division F010, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 2Inserm Unit 701, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)
Here we describe a protocol based only on cell infection, which improves the efficiency of recombinant parvovirus production by more than 100 fold in comparison to other protocols in use. This protocol relies on the use of a novel adenovirus 5-based helper containing the parvovirus VP transcription unit (Ad-VP).
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Models of Bone Metastasis
1Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, 2Vanderbilt Center for Bone Biology, Vanderbilt University, 3Department of Veterans Affairs, Tennessee Valley Healthcare System (VISN 9), 4Department of Medicine, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, 5Department of Cancer Biology, Vanderbilt University
Animal models are frequently utilized to study cancer metastasis to bone. In this protocol we will describe two common methods of tumor inoculation for bone metastasis studies and briefly describe some of the analyses utilized to monitor and quantify these models.
JoVE Neuroscience
Multimodal Imaging of Stem Cell Implantation in the Central Nervous System of Mice
1Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, University of Antwerp, 2Bio Imaging Lab, University of Antwerp
This article describes an optimized sequence of events for multimodal imaging of cellular grafts in rodent brain using: (i) in vivo bioluminescence and magnetic resonance imaging, and (ii) post mortem histological analysis. Combining these imaging modalities on a single animal allows cellular graft evaluation with high resolution, sensitivity and specificity.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
In vitro Organoid Culture of Primary Mouse Colon Tumors
1Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, 2Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Michigan
A simple method to establish primary murine colon tumor organoid is described. This method utilizes the feature that colon tumor cells survive and grow into organoids in media containing limited growth factors, whereas normal colon epithelial do not.
JoVE General
High-throughput Screening and Biosensing with Fluorescent C. elegans Strains
1Department of Biology, University of Florida, 2Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory
A procedure for liquid-based culturing and dispensing of C. elegans strains expressing fluorescent reporter proteins is described that does not require expensive sorting equipment. This approach can be applied to numerous inducible C. elegans genes for drug discovery or biosensing of contaminants.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Live Imaging of Drug Responses in the Tumor Microenvironment in Mouse Models of Breast Cancer
1Watson School of Biological Sciences, 2Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 3Departments of Medical Genetics, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital
We describe a method for imaging response to anti-cancer treatment in vivo and at single cell resolution.
JoVE Immunology and Infection
Two Methods of Heterokaryon Formation to Discover HCV Restriction Factors
1Division of Experimental Virology, Twincore, Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, 2Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Laboratory of Retrovirology, The Rockefeller University, NY
We describe two methods for conditional trans-complementation of hepatitis C virus (HCV) assembly and the completion of the full viral life cycle, which rely on heterokaryon formation. These techniques are suitable to screen for cell lines that express dominant restriction factors, which preclude production of infectious HCV progeny.
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