Microdissection:
The performance of dissections with the aid of a microscope.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Improved Protocol For Laser Microdissection Of Human Pancreatic Islets From Surgical Specimens
1Molecular Diabetology, Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden, 2Department of GI-, Thoracic- and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, University of Technology Dresden, 3Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Metabolic Unit University of Pisa, 4Labs DC0522, Lilly Corporate Center, 5Genomics, Faculty of Medicine Imperial College London, 6Vital-IT, SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 7Clinical Biochemistry, Hannover Medical School, 8Cell Physiology and Metabolism, Medical School, University of Geneva, 9Department of Pathology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, University of Technology Dresden, 10R&D DIAB Division / Translational Medicine, Sanofi-Aventis
Laser microdissection is a technique that allows the recovery of selected cells from minute amounts of parenchyma. Here we describe a protocol for acquiring human pancreatic islets from surgical specimens to be used for transcriptomic studies. Our protocol improves the intrinsic autofluorescence of human beta cells, thus facilitating their collection.
JoVE Neuroscience
Laser Capture Microdissection of Drosophila Peripheral Neurons
1Department of Molecular and Microbiology, George Mason University, 2Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study, George Mason University
In this video-article we present a method for isolating single or multiple Drosophila da neurons from third instar larvae using the infrared capture (IR) class of Laser Capture Microdissection (LCM). RNA obtained from the isolated neurons can be readily used for downstream applications including qRT-PCR or microarray analyses.
JoVE General
Laser Microdissection Applied to Gene Expression Profiling of Subset of Cells from the Drosophila Wing Disc
Dipartimento di Biologia Strutturale e Funzionale, University of Naples
Laser microdissection was applied to analyse gene expression profiling in specific compartments of Drosophila wing disc subjected to localised RNAi in vivo. RNA extracted from equivalent areas of silenced and unsilenced compartments was analysed by quantitative RT-PCR to determine comparative gene expression profiling within the context of native tissue microecology.
JoVE Neuroscience
Non-Laser Capture Microscopy Approach for the Microdissection of Discrete Mouse Brain Regions for Total RNA Isolation and Downstream Next-Generation Sequencing and Gene Expression Profiling
Center for Sleep and Circadian Biology, Northwestern University
RNA expression profiling of discrete mouse brain regions requires a precise and repeatable tissue collection strategy. A protocol that uses both coronal brain sectioning and tissue corer-assisted microdissection is described here. The yield and quality of total RNA obtained from the resulting samples confirms the utility of the outlined method.
JoVE Neuroscience
Experimental Methods for Testing the Effects of Neurotrophic Peptide, ADNF-9, Against Alcohol-induced Apoptosis during Pregnancy in C57BL/6 Mice
Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toledo
The experimental designs proposed here focus on studying the effects of alcohol exposure in apoptosis and the application of neurotrophic peptide during pregnancy in fetal brain. A detailed description from the breeding to the collection of fetal brains is described. Techniques for determination of apoptosis are also described in detail.
JoVE Neuroscience
In vivo Visualization of Synaptic Vesicles Within Drosophila Larval Segmental Axons
Department of Biological Sciences, SUNY-University at Buffalo
This protocol discusses the live dissection of Drosophila larvae for the purpose of imaging the movement of GFP tagged axonal vesicles on microtubule tracks.
JoVE General
Preparation and Culture of Rat Lens Epithelial Explants for Studying Terminal Differentiation
Explants of the central region of rat lens epithelia differentiate synchronously when cultured in the presence of FGF-2. Immunofluorescence microscopy of such cultures can provides novel information about gene expression and signaling events associated with terminal differentiation.
JoVE Neuroscience
Simultaneous Pre- and Post-synaptic Electrophysiological Recording from Xenopus Nerve-muscle Co-cultures
1Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 2Natural Science Division, Pepperdine University
This video demonstrates the procedures used to grow primary cultures of embryonic Xenopus nerve and muscle cells and the usefulness of this preparation for making simultaneous pre- and post-synaptic patch clamp recordings.
JoVE Neuroscience
Laser Capture Microdissection of Enriched Populations of Neurons or Single Neurons for Gene Expression Analysis After Traumatic Brain Injury
Department of Anesthesiology, University of Texas Medical Branch
We describe how to use laser capture microdissection (LCM) to obtain enriched populations of hippocampal neurons or single neurons from frozen sections of the injured rat brain for subsequent gene expression analysis using quantitative real time PCR and/or whole-genome microarrays.
JoVE Neuroscience
Dissection and Culture of Mouse Dopaminergic and Striatal Explants in Three-Dimensional Collagen Matrix Assays
Explants from the midbrain dopamine system and striatum are used in a collagen matrix assay for the in vitro analysis of mesostriatal and striatonigral pathway development. In this assay axonal outgrowth and guidance can be manipulated and quantified. It can also be modified for assessing other regions or molecular cues.
JoVE General
Measuring Replicative Life Span in the Budding Yeast
1Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, 2Department of Pathology, University of Washington
In this article we present a general protocol for measuring the replicative life span of yeast mother cells.
JoVE General
Microdissection of Zebrafish Embryonic Eye Tissues
Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University
This article describes an approach to microdissect zebrafish retinas with and without retinal pigment epithelium attached, from one to three days postfertilization embryos.
JoVE General
Double Whole Mount in situ Hybridization of Early Chick Embryos
1Center for Environmental and Genetic Medicine, Institute of Biosciences and Technology - Texas A&M Health Science Center, 2Center for Environmental and Genetic Medicine, Texas A&M University (TAMU)
This video demonstrates 2-color whole mount in situ hybridization, a method by which the spatial and temporal expression pattern of 2 different genes can be visualized in young chick embryos. This method was originally introduced by David Wilkinson, Domingos Henrique, Phil Ingham and David Ish -Horowicz.
JoVE Editorial
JoVE 8th Issue
JoVE General
Laser Capture Microdissection of Mammalian Tissue
Department of Pathology, University of California, Irvine (UCI)
JoVE General
Microdissection of Black Widow Spider Silk-producing Glands
Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Pacific
Here we describe an efficient strategy to remove the silk-producing glands from the abdomen of female black widow spiders. This procedure allows the rapid isolation of the seven distinct silk-producing glands in a highly purified fashion, an important process for investigators studying spider silk production and fiber assembly.
JoVE General
Obtaining High Quality RNA from Single Cell Populations in Human Postmortem Brain Tissue
1Department of Structural and Molecular Neuroscience, McLean Hospital, 2Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, 3Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
We describe a process using laser-capture microdissection to isolate and extract RNA from a homogeneous cell population, pyramidal neurons, in layer III of the superior temporal gyrus in postmortem human brains. We subsequently linearly amplify (T7-based) mRNA, and hybridize the sample to the Affymetrix human X3P microarray.
JoVE Neuroscience
Isolating LacZ-expressing Cells from Mouse Inner Ear Tissues using Flow Cytometry
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine
Flow cytometry is a powerful tool allowing for the isolation and study of specific cell populations. This protocol describes steps for isolating LacZ-expressing cells from cochlear tissues from neonatal transgenic mice. Dissociated cochlear cells were labeled using fluorescent-conjugated substrates of β-galactosidase prior to separation via flow cytometry.
JoVE General
Technical Demonstration of Whole Genome Array Comparative Genomic Hybridization
1Department of Cancer Genetics, BC Cancer Research Centre, 2Deeley Research Centre, BC Cancer Agency, 3Photography/Video Production, Multi-Media Services, BC Cancer Agency
This video is a technical demonstration of the hybridization protocol for whole genome tiling path array CGH, which scans the entire human genome using only 25-100 ng of DNA that can be isolated from a variety of sources, including archival formalin fixed material.
JoVE General
Method for Whole Mount Antibody Staining in Chick
This video demonstrates whole mount immunohistochemistry, a method by which the spatial and temporal expression pattern of an antigen can be visualized in young chick embryos. This method was originally introduced by Jane Dodd and Tom Jessell.
JoVE General
Isolation of Labile Multi-protein Complexes by in vivo Controlled Cellular Cross-Linking and Immuno-magnetic Affinity Chromatography
1Department of Cell Biology, Emory University, 2Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University
The cell permeable crosslinker DSP [dithiobis-(succinimidyl propionate)] stabilizes transient and labile interactions in vivo, which allows their isolation using stringent protein complex purification techniques. Here we present a technique for crosslinking cells grown in culture followed by isolation of protein complexes by immunoprecipitation.
JoVE General
Isolation of Early Hematopoietic Stem Cells from Murine Yolk Sac and AGM
1Department of Hematology and Oncology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 2Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3Department of Medicine, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School
This video shows how to micro-dissect the yolk sac and aorta-gonad-mesonephros region from embryos and use flow cytometry to sort hematopoietic stem cells.
JoVE General
The Gateway to the Brain: Dissecting the Primate Eye
1Department of Physiology, University of Montreal, 2School of Optometry, University of Montreal, 3Departement de chimie-biologie, Universite du Quebec a Trois-Rivieres
The non-human primate is an important translational species for our understanding of development and aging. The anatomical organization of the primate retina may provide important insights into normal and pathological conditions in humans.
JoVE Neuroscience
Transcriptome Analysis of Single Cells
1Department of Pharmacology, University of Pennsylvania, 2The Penn Genome Frontiers Institute, University of Pennsylvania
In this article we describe a simple method for the harvesting of single cells from rat primary neuronal cultures and subsequent transcriptome analysis using aRNA amplification. This approach is generalizable to any cell type.
JoVE Neuroscience
Analysis of Neural Crest Migration and Differentiation by Cross-species Transplantation
Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Rice University
An approach for analyzing migration and eventual fate of avian neural crest cells in quail-chick chimeric embryos is described. This method is a simple and straightforward technique for tracing neural crest cells during migration and differentiation that are otherwise difficult to distinguish within an unmanipulated chick embryo.
JoVE General
Using High Resolution Computed Tomography to Visualize the Three Dimensional Structure and Function of Plant Vasculature
1U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2Department of Viticulture and Enology, University of California - Davis, 3Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, University of Western Sydney, 4Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, 5Citrus Research & Education Center, University of Florida
High resolution x-ray computed tomography (HRCT) is a non-destructive diagnostic imaging technique that can be used to study the structure and function of plant vasculature in 3D. We demonstrate how HRCT facilitates exploration of xylem networks across a wide range of plant tissues and species.
JoVE General
NanoDrop Microvolume Quantitation of Nucleic Acids
Thermo Scientific NanoDrop Products, Wilmington, Delaware
The use of NanoDrop microvolume systems as practical and efficient alternatives to traditional nucleic acid quantitation methodology is described through the demonstration of two microvolume nucleic acid quantitation protocols.
JoVE General
Preparation of Aplysia Sensory-motor Neuronal Cell Cultures
1Dept. of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, 2Dept. of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 3Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles
Primary cultures of Aplysia sensory-motor neurons provide a model preparation for studying synapse formation and synaptic plasticity in vitro. This video demonstrates the identification and microdissection of sensory and motor neurons from Aplysia ganglia as well as the methods for establishing and maintaining sensory-motor neurons in culture.
JoVE General
Genetic Modification and Recombination of Salivary Gland Organ Cultures
Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany, SUNY
A technique to genetically manipulate epithelial cells within whole ex vivo cultured embryonic mouse submandibular glands (SMGs) using viral gene transfer is described. This method takes advantage of the innate ability of SMG epithelium and mesenchyme to spontaneously recombine after separation and infection of epithelial rudiments with adenoviral vectors.
JoVE General
Method for Culture of Early Chick Embryos ex vivo (New Culture)
1Center for Environmental and Genetic Medicine, Institute of Biosciences and Technology - Texas A&M Health Science Center, 2Center for Environmental and Genetic Medicine, Texas A&M University (TAMU)
This video demonstrates New culture, a method by which chick embryos are cultured outside the egg for up to 24 hr. This method enables one to study early development (primitive streak to 14 som.), a period corresponding to E7-9 in mouse. Applications of this technique include electroporation, in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry.
JoVE Neuroscience
Chicken Embryo Spinal Cord Slice Culture Protocol
Research Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London
Slice cultures facilitate the manipulation of embryo development by gene and pharmacological perturbations. However, culture conditions must ensure that normal development can proceed within the reduced environment of the slice. We illustrate a protocol that facilitates normal spinal cord development to proceed for at least 24 hr.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Isolation of Human Islets from Partially Pancreatectomized Patients
1Department of GI-, Thorax- and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, University of Technology Dresden, 2Molecular Diabetology, Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden, 3Department of Pathology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, University of Technology Dresden
The supply of type 2 diabetic islets for research is insufficient. Here we share our protocol for isolating islets from patients undergoing partial pancreatectomy. This approach represents a unique venue for obtaining islets from type 2 diabetic and clinically matched non-diabetic subjects in adequate numbers for basic and clinical studies.
JoVE General
Isolation of Drosophila melanogaster Testes
Drosophila melanogaster testes can be rapidly and efficiently isolated from adult males using dissecting needles. With practice, one can readily isolate in one or two days an amount of testes sufficient for the analysis of DNA or RNA by high throughput sequencing or more traditional molecular biology methods or of protein for antibody- or enzyme-based assays.
JoVE General
Preparation of Rat Brain Aggregate Cultures for Neuron and Glia Development Studies
Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University (TAMU)
A protocols for an embryonic rat brain aggregate culture system is described. Multipotent progenitors in the aggregates can develop and differentiate into neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes.
JoVE General
Cell Specific Analysis of Arabidopsis Leaves Using Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting
1School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, 2Warwick Systems Biology, University of Warwick
A method for producing Arabidopsis leaf protoplasts that are compatible with fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS), allowing for studies of specific cell populations. This method is compatible with any Arabidopsis line that expresses GFP in a subset of cells.
JoVE Neuroscience
Electrophysiological Recordings from the Giant Fiber Pathway of D. melanogaster
1Institute of Healthy Ageing, and GEE, University College London - UCL, 2School of Biosciences, University of Kent
The Giant Fiber System is a simple neuronal circuit of adult Drosophila melanogaster containing the largest neurons in the fly. We describe the protocol for monitoring synaptic transmission through this pathway by recording post synaptic potentials in dorsal longitudinal (DLM) and tergotrochanteral (TTM) muscles following direct stimulation of the Giant Fiber interneurons.
JoVE General
The Mouse Cremaster Muscle Preparation for Intravital Imaging of the Microcirculation
1Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Missouri, 2Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri
A tissue preparation is described for visualization and experimental manipulation of the living microcirculation. In anesthetized male mice, the thin, highly vascularized cremaster muscle is prepared for intravital microscopy to study microvascular networks including arterioles, capillaries and venules. This preparation is readily adapted for rats and hamsters.
JoVE Neuroscience
Establishing Embryonic Mouse Neural Stem Cell Culture Using the Neurosphere Assay
1Department of Anatomical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran, 2Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Florida
This video protocol demonstrates the application of the neurosphere assay for the isolation and expansion of neural stem cells from the ganglionic eminences of embryonic day 14-mouse brain.
JoVE General
Primary Culture and Plasmid Electroporation of the Murine Organ of Corti.
1Department of Otology and Laryngology, Harvard Medical School, 2Eaton-Peabody Laboratory, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, 3Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Emerson College, 4Program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology, Division of Health Science and Technology, Harvard
This procedure describes a method for the isolation and culture of the murine organ of Corti with or without the spiral limbus and spiral ganglion neurons. We also demonstrate a method for the expression of an exogenous reporter gene in the organ of Corti explant by electroporation.
JoVE General
Dissection of Hippocampal Dentate Gyrus from Adult Mouse
1Japan Science and Technology Agency, Core Research for Evolutionary Science and Technology (CREST), 2Division of Systems Medical Science, Institute for Comprehensive Medical Science, Fujita Health University, 3Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 4Genetic Engineering and Functional Genomics Group, Horizontal Medical Research Organization, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 5Center for Genetic Analysis of Behavior, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences
A dissection technique for removal of the dentate gyrus from adult mouse under a stereomicroscope was demonstrated in this video-recorded protocol.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Biomarkers in an Animal Model for Revealing Neural, Hematologic, and Behavioral Correlates of PTSD
1Department of Psychiatry, Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, 2Department of Gene and Protein Biomarkers, GenProMarkers, Inc.
We describe a rat model of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that reveals the persistent alterations in neuroendocrine function and the delayed long-term, exaggerated fear response, characteristic of PTSD patients. The animal model and methods described here are useful for correlating biomarkers in brain nuclei, which are mechanistic but cannot be measured in patients, with biomarkers in peripheral white blood cells, which can.
JoVE Neuroscience
Selective Tracing of Auditory Fibers in the Avian Embryonic Vestibulocochlear Nerve
Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine
Here we describe a microdissection technique followed by fluorescent dye injection into the acoustic ganglion of early chick embryos for selective tracing of auditory axon fibers in the nerve and hindbrain.
JoVE Neuroscience
Analysis of Trunk Neural Crest Cell Migration using a Modified Zigmond Chamber Assay
1Department of Biology, California State University, Northridge, 2Centro de Biología Celular y Molecular, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba
An approach to analyze the migration of explanted cells (trunk neural crest cells) is described. This method is inexpensive, gentle, and capable of distinguishing chemotaxis from both chemokinesis and other influences on migratory polarity such as those derived from cell-cell interactions within the primary trunk neural crest cell culture.
JoVE Neuroscience
Optimized Analysis of DNA Methylation and Gene Expression from Small, Anatomically-defined Areas of the Brain
Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry
A streamlined workflow to study DNA methylation and gene expression changes upon early-life stress is shown. Starting from maternal separation of newborn mice and isolation of discrete brain tissues, we represent a protocol to simultaneously isolate DNA and RNA from brain tissue punches for subsequent bisulfite sequencing and RT-PCR analysis.
JoVE Bioengineering
Synthetic Spider Silk Production on a Laboratory Scale
Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Pacific
Despite the outstanding mechanical and biochemical properties of spider silks, this material cannot be harvested in large quantities by conventional means. Here we describe an efficient strategy to spin artificial spider silk fibers, which is an important process for investigators studying spider silk production and their use as next-generation biomaterials.
JoVE General
In Situ Hybridization for the Precise Localization of Transcripts in Plants
The in situ hybridization protocol described here allows a direct localization of mRNA and small RNA expression at the cellular level with high sensitivity and specificity. The procedure is optimized for paraffin-embedded plant tissue sections, is applicable to a wide range of plants and tissues, and can be completed within ten days.
JoVE Neuroscience
Dissection of a Mouse Eye for a Whole Mount of the Retinal Pigment Epithelium
A formal demonstration of the dissection of a mouse eye, resulting in a whole mount of the retinal pigment epithelium.
JoVE Immunology and Infection
Right Ventricular Systolic Pressure Measurements in Combination with Harvest of Lung and Immune Tissue Samples in Mice
1Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, Tuxedo, 2Division of Allergy, Pulmonary, & Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 3Division of Pulmonary Medicine, New York University School of Medicine
A specific and rapid protocol to simultaneously investigate right heart function, lung inflammation, and the immune response is described as a learning tool. Video and figures describe physiology and microdissection techniques in an organized team-approach that is adaptable to be used for small to large sized studies.
JoVE General
High-throughput Physical Mapping of Chromosomes using Automated in situ Hybridization
Department of Entomology, Virginia Tech
Genome assemblies based on massively parallel DNA sequencing technologies are usually highly fragmented. The development of physical chromosome maps can potentially improve genome assemblies. Here, we demonstrate innovative approaches to chromosome preparation, fluorescent in situ hybridization, and imaging that significantly increase throughput of the physical map development.
JoVE Bioengineering
Increasing cDNA Yields from Single-cell Quantities of mRNA in Standard Laboratory Reverse Transcriptase Reactions using Acoustic Microstreaming
1Florey Neuroscience Institutes and Centre for Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, 2Fluid Dynamics Group, CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering, 3Swinburne University of Technology, Faculty of Engineering and Industrial Sciences
We describe a novel method for increasing cDNA yield from single-cell quantities of mRNA in otherwise standard laboratory reverse transcription reactions. The novelty resides in the use of a micromixer, which utilizes the phenomenon of acoustic microstreaming, to mix fluids at microliter scales more effectively than shaking, vortexing or trituration.
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