JoVE Neuroscience
MPI CyberMotion Simulator: Implementation of a Novel Motion Simulator to Investigate Multisensory Path Integration in Three Dimensions
1Department of Human Perception, Cognition and Action, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, 2Laboratoire de Physiologie de la Perception et de l'Action, Collège de France - CNRS, 3Department of Brain and Cognitive Engineering, Korea University
An efficient way to gain insight into how humans navigate themselves in three dimensions is described. The method takes advantage of a motion simulator capable of moving observers in ways unattainable by traditional simulators. Results confirm that movement in the horizontal plane is underestimated, while vertical movement is overestimated.
JoVE Editorial
May 2012: This Month in JoVE
Here are some highlights from the May 2012 Issue of Journal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE).
JoVE General
Generation of Stable Human Cell Lines with Tetracycline-inducible (Tet-on) shRNA or cDNA Expression
1UCL Cancer Institute, 2Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research
A rapid and simple way to generate human cell lines with inducible and reversible cDNA overexpression or shRNA-mediated knock-down of the gene of interest. This method enables researchers to reliably and highly reproducibly manipulate cell lines that are difficult to alter by transient transfection methods or conventional knockdown/knockout strategies.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Matrix-assisted Autologous Chondrocyte Transplantation for Remodeling and Repair of Chondral Defects in a Rabbit Model
1Department of Orthopaedic Sports Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, 2Department of Radiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, 3Institute of Experimental Oncology and Therapy Research, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, 4Department of Radiology, Uniklinik Köln
An experimental technique for the treatment of chondral defects in the rabbit's knee joint is described. The implantation of autologous chondrocytes seeded on a matrix is a well-accepted method for the remodeling and repair of articular cartilage lesions providing satisfying long-term results. Matrix-assisted autologous chondrocyte transplantation (MACT) offers a standardized and clinically established implantation method.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Assessment of Gastric Emptying in Non-obese Diabetic Mice Using a [13C]-octanoic Acid Breath Test
Enteric Neuroscience Program, Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic
Determination of gastric emptying with a non-invasive [13C]-octanoic acid breath test for tracking gastroparesis in female NOD LtJ mice.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Treatment of Osteochondral Defects in the Rabbit's Knee Joint by Implantation of Allogeneic Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Fibrin Clots
1Department of Orthopaedic Sports Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, 2Department of Radiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, 3Institute of Experimental Oncology and Therapy Research, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, 4Department of Radiology, Uniklinik Köln
An experimental technique for the treatment of osteochondral defects in the rabbit's knee joint is described. The implantation of allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells into osteochondral defects provides a promising development in the field of tissue engineering. The preparation of fibrin-cell-clots in vitro offers a standardized method for implantation.
JoVE Neuroscience
Tactile Conditioning And Movement Analysis Of Antennal Sampling Strategies In Honey Bees (Apis mellifera L.)
In this protocol we show how to condition harnessed honey bees to tactile stimuli and introduce a 2D motion capture technique for analyzing the kinematics of fine-scale antennal sampling pattern.
JoVE Immunology and Infection
piggyBac Transposon System Modification of Primary Human T Cells
1Program in Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, 2Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Baylor College of Medicine, 3Department of Immunology and Pathology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, 4Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, 5Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, 6Program in Cell and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, 7Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, 8Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center
We describe a method to genetically modify primary human T cells with a transgene using the non-viral piggyBac transposon system. T cells modified to using the piggyBac transposon system exhibit stable transgene expression.
JoVE Neuroscience
High-resolution Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Methods for Human Midbrain
This article describes techniques to perform high-resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging with 1.2 mm sampling in human midbrain and subcortical structures using a 3T scanner. Use of these techniques to resolve topographic maps of visual stimulation in the human superior colliculus (SC) is given as an example.
JoVE Neuroscience
A Molecular Readout of Long-term Olfactory Adaptation in C. elegans
1Department of Biological Sciences and Institute for Neuroscience, George Washington University, 2Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 3Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California San Francisco
Here we describe a molecular readout of long-term olfactory adaptation in Caenorhabditis elegans. The Protein Kinase G, EGL-4, is necessary for stable adaptation responses in the primary sensory neuron pair called AWC. During prolonged odor exposure EGL-4 translocates from the cytosol to nucleus of the AWC.
JoVE Neuroscience
Studying the Integration of Adult-born Neurons
Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, State University of New York at Stony Brook
A way to study the integration of newborn dentate granule cells in adult animals is described. This technique uses an engineered retrovirus to label newborn neurons, followed by electrophysiological recordings to determine in vivo functional integration.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Quantitative Analysis of Chromatin Proteomes in Disease
1Department of Anesthesiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 2Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 3Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 4Department of Internal Medicine, Nora Eccles Harrison Cardiovascular Research and Training Institute, University of Utah
Advances in mass spectrometry have allowed the high throughput analysis of protein expression and modification in a host of tissues. Combined with subcellular fractionation and disease models, quantitative mass spectrometry and bioinformatics can reveal new properties in biological systems. The method described herein analyzes chromatin-associated proteins in the setting of heart disease and is readily applicable to other in vivo models of human disease.
JoVE General
A Video Demonstration of Preserved Piloting by Scent Tracking but Impaired Dead Reckoning After Fimbria-Fornix Lesions in the Rat
Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge
In a piloting scent tracking task, the ability of the rats to return to a refuge with food using visual an odor trail or using dead reckoning in infrared light, the integrated record of previous movements, demonstrates that the hippocampus is necessary for dead reckoning.
JoVE General
Analysis of Schwann-astrocyte Interactions Using In Vitro Assays
Cambridge Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge
This article intends to describe in stepwise fashion the commonly used in vitro assays used in studying Schwann cell-asrtocyte interactions.
JoVE General
Microfluidic Chips Controlled with Elastomeric Microvalve Arrays
Dept. of Bioengineering, University of Washington
We demonstrate protocols for manufacturing and automating elastomeric polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based microvalve arrays that need no extra energy to close and feature photolithographically defined precise volumes. A parallel subnanoliter-volume mixer and an integrated microfluidic perfusion system are presented.
JoVE General
Quantitative Comparison of cis-Regulatory Element (CRE) Activities in Transgenic Drosophila melanogaster
1Department of Biology, University of Dayton, 2Department of Biology, Center for Tissue Regeneration and Engineering at Dayton, University of Dayton
Phenotypic variation for traits can result from mutations in cis-regulatory element (CRE) sequences that control gene expression patterns. Methods derived for use in Drosophila melanogaster can quantitatively compare the levels of spatial and temporal patterns of gene expression mediated by modified or naturally occurring CRE variants.
JoVE Neuroscience
Neonatal Subventricular Zone Electroporation
Department of Neurosurgery and Cellular & Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine
We demonstrate a minimally invasive technique referred to as neonatal subventricular zone electroporation. The technique consists of injecting plasmid DNA into the lateral ventricles of neonatal pups and applying electrical current to deliver and genetically manipulate neural stem cells
JoVE General
Dissection and Staining of Drosophila Larval Ovaries
Department of Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science
How niches and stem cells form during development is an important question with practical implications. In the Drosophila ovary, germ line stem cells and their somatic niches form during larval development. This video demonstrates how to dissect, stain and mount female gonads from late third instar (LL3) Drosophila larvae.
JoVE Bioengineering
Candida albicans Biofilm Chip (CaBChip) for High-throughput Antifungal Drug Screening
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at San Antonio, 2Department of Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio
We have developed a high-density microarray platform consisting of 3D nano-biofilms of C. albicans called CaBChip. The susceptibility profile of drugs tested on a CaBChip is comparable to the conventional 96-well plate model, suggesting that the fungal chip is ideally suited for true high-throughput screening of antifungal drugs.
JoVE Neuroscience
An Experimental Platform to Study the Closed-loop Performance of Brain-machine Interfaces
Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London
We use a closed-loop fly-machine interface to investigate general principles in neuronal control.
JoVE Immunology and Infection
Parasite Induced Genetically Driven Autoimmune Chagas Heart Disease in the Chicken Model
Chagas Disease Multidisciplinary Research Laboratory, University of Brasilia
The inoculation of Trypanosoma cruzi in fertile eggs prior to incubation renders the parasite kDNA minicircle integration in embryo cells genome. Crossbreeding reveals the vertical transfer of the mutations to progeny. The kDNA integrates into coding regions at several chromosomes and the chickens die with an inflammatory autoimmune heart disease.
JoVE General
Genome Editing with CompoZr Custom Zinc Finger Nucleases (ZFNs)
Emerging Technologies, Sigma Life Science
The CompoZr Custom Zinc-Finger Nuclease (ZFN) Service enables precise genome editing in any organism or cell line at any locus defined by the user. This article describes the process for the design, manufacture, validation and implementation of the CompoZr Custom ZFN Service.
JoVE Immunology and Infection
TransFLP — A Method to Genetically Modify Vibrio cholerae Based on Natural Transformation and FLP-recombination
Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
A quick method to modify the genome of V. cholerae is described. These modifications include the deletion of single genes, gene clusters and genomic islands as well as the integration of short sequences (e.g. promoter elements or affinity-tag sequences). The method is based on the natural transformation and FLP-recombination.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Computed Tomography-guided Time-domain Diffuse Fluorescence Tomography in Small Animals for Localization of Cancer Biomarkers
1Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, 2Department of Physics and Astronomy, Dartmouth College, 3Darmouth Medical School, Dartmouth College, 4School of Computer Science, University of Birmingham
Diffuse fluorescence tomography offers a relatively low-cost and potentially high-throughout approach to preclinical in vivo tumor imaging. The methodology of optical data collection, calibration, and image reconstruction is presented for a computed tomography-guided non-contact time-domain system using fluorescent targeting of the tumor biomarker epidermal growth factor receptor in a mouse glioma model.
JoVE Neuroscience
Physiological, Morphological and Neurochemical Characterization of Neurons Modulated by Movement
Department of Neural and Pain Sciences, University of Maryland
A technique is described to quantify the in vivo physiological response of mammalian neurons during movement and correlate the physiology of the neuron with neuronal morphology, neurochemical phenotype and synaptic microcircuitry.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Intra-Operative Behavioral Tasks in Awake Humans Undergoing Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery
1Nayef Al-Rodhan Laboratories for Cellular Neurosurgery and Neurosurgical Technology, Harvard Medical School, 2Department of Neurosurgery , Massachusetts General Hospital
Deep brain stimulation surgery offers a unique opportunity to examine information encoding in the awake human brain. This article will describe intra-operative methods used to perform cognitive and behavioral tasks while simultaneously acquiring physiological data such as EMG, single-unit neuronal activity and/or local field potentials.
JoVE Neuroscience
Functional Mapping with Simultaneous MEG and EEG
Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, MGH - Massachusetts General Hospital
We use magnetoencephalography (MEG) and electroencephalography (EEG) to map brain areas involved in the processing of simple sensory stimuli.
JoVE Neuroscience
Preparation of Parasagittal Slices for the Investigation of Dorsal-ventral Organization of the Rodent Medial Entorhinal Cortex
1Neuroinformatics DTC, University of Edinburgh, 2Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh
We describe procedures for preparation and electrophysiological recording from brain slices that maintain the dorsal-ventral axis of the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC). Because neural encoding of location follows a dorsal-ventral organization within the MEC, these procedures facilitate investigation of cellular mechanisms important for navigation and memory.
JoVE General
Digital Microfluidics for Automated Proteomic Processing
1Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 2Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, 3Institute for Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto
Digital Microfluidics is a technique characterized by the manipulation of discrete droplets (~nL - mL) on an array of electrodes by the application of electrical fields. It is well-suited for carrying out rapid, sequential, miniaturized automated biochemical assays. Here, we report a platform capable of automating several proteomic processing steps.
JoVE General
Combining QD-FRET and Microfluidics to Monitor DNA Nanocomplex Self-Assembly in Real-Time
1Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 2Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, 3Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University
We present a novel and powerful integration of nanophotonics (QD-FRET) and microfluidics to investigate the formation of polyelectrolyte polyplexes, which is expected to provide better control and synthesis of uniform and customizable polyplexes for future nucleic acid-based therapeutics.
JoVE General
A Magnetic Tether System to Investigate Visual and Olfactory Mediated Flight Control in Drosophila
Department of Physiological Science, University of California, Los Angeles
Here we describe how to tether a fly in an olfactory magnetic-tether (OMT) apparatus. We describe how to align the rare-earth magnets and odor ports, and how to set mass flow rates for both the stimulus delivery and vacuum suction to achieve optimal odor tracking.
JoVE Editorial
April 2013: This Month in JoVE
1Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, 2JoVE Content Production
Here are some highlights from the April 2013 Issue of Journal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE).
JoVE General
Production of Transgenic Xenopus laevis by Restriction Enzyme Mediated Integration and Nuclear Transplantation
1The Healing Foundation Centre, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, 2Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine
This video protocol demonstrates a method for generating transgenic Xenopus laevis by introduction of transgenes into sperm nuclei followed by nuclear transplantation into unfertilized eggs.
JoVE Bioengineering
High-throughput Protein Expression Generator Using a Microfluidic Platform
We present a microfluidic approach for the expression of protein arrays. The device consists of thousands of reaction chambers controlled by micro-mechanical valves. The microfluidic device is mated to a microarray-printed gene library. These genes are then transcribed and translated on-chip, resulting in a protein array ready for experimental use.
JoVE General
Analysis of DNA Double-strand Break (DSB) Repair in Mammalian Cells
Department of Biology, University of Rochester
This article describes GFP-based fluorescence in vivo assays that separately quantify homologous recombination and nonhomologous end joining in mammalian cells.
JoVE Neuroscience
Large-scale Recording of Neurons by Movable Silicon Probes in Behaving Rodents
1Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of New Jersey, 2Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, 3Janelia Farm Research Campus, Howards Hughes Medical Institute, 4Deptartment of Psychology, University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee
We describe methods for large-scale recording of multiple single units and local field potential in behaving rodents with silicon probes. Drive fabrication, probe attachment to the drive and probe implantation processes are illustrated in sufficient details for easy replication.
JoVE Bioengineering
Site-specific Bacterial Chromosome Engineering: ΦC31 Integrase Mediated Cassette Exchange (IMCE)
Biology, University of Waterloo
A quick and efficient method to integrate foreign DNA of interest into pre-made acceptor strains, termed landing pad strains, is described. The method allows site-specific integration of a DNA cassette into the engineered landing pad locus of a given strain, through conjugation and expression of the ΦC31 integrase.
JoVE Immunology and Infection
Single-cell Analysis of Bacillus subtilis Biofilms Using Fluorescence Microscopy and Flow Cytometry
Institute for Molecular Infection Biology (IMIB), University of Würzburg
Microbial biofilms are generally constituted by distinct subpopulations of specialized cells. Single-cell analysis of these subpopulations requires the use of fluorescent reporters. Here we describe a protocol to visualize and monitor several subpopulationswithin B. subtilis biofilms using fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry.
JoVE Bioengineering
Creating Adhesive and Soluble Gradients for Imaging Cell Migration with Fluorescence Microscopy
1Centre for Vascular Research and Australian Centre for Nanomedicine, The University of New South Wales, 2School of Chemistry and Australian Centre for Nanomedicine, The University of New South Wales
A method for the assembly of adhesive and soluble gradients in a microscopy chamber for live cell migration studies is described. The engineered environment combines antifouling surfaces and adhesive tracks with solution gradients and therefore allows one to determine the relative importance of guidance cues.
JoVE Applied Physics
Construction of a High Resolution Microscope with Conventional and Holographic Optical Trapping Capabilities
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Utah
The system described herein employs a traditional optical trap as well as an independent holographic optical trapping line, capable of creating and manipulating multiple traps. This allows for the creation of complex geometric arrangements of refractive particles while also permitting simultaneous high-speed, high-resolution measurements of the activity of biological enzymes.
JoVE Immunology and Infection
Non-invasive Optical Imaging of the Lymphatic Vasculature of a Mouse
Center for Molecular Imaging (CMI), University of Texas Health Science Center-Houston
Recently developed imaging techniques using near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) may help elucidate the role the lymphatic system plays in cancer metastasis, immune response, wound repair, and other lymphatic-associated diseases.
JoVE Bioengineering
Thermodynamics of Membrane Protein Folding Measured by Fluorescence Spectroscopy
Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego - UCSD
This video article details the experimental procedure for obtaining the Gibbs free energy of membrane protein folding by tryptophan fluorescence.
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 General
Super-resolution Imaging of the Bacterial Division Machinery
Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
We describe a super-resolution imaging method to probe the structural organization of the bacterial FtsZ-ring, an essential apparatus for cell division. This method is based on quantitative analyses of photoactivated localization microscopy (PALM) images and can be applied to other bacterial cytoskeletal proteins.
JoVE Neuroscience
A Caenorhabditis elegans Model System for Amylopathy Study
We describe methods to study aspects of amylopathies in the worm C. elegans. We show how to construct worms expressing human Aβ42 in neurons and how to test their function in behavioral assays. We further show how to obtain primary neuronal cultures that can be used for pharmacological testing.
JoVE Neuroscience
Muscle Receptor Organs in the Crayfish Abdomen: A Student Laboratory Exercise in Proprioception
Department of Biology, University of Kentucky
The primary purpose of this experiment is to understand how primary sensory neurons convey information of joint movements and positions as proprioceptive information for an animal. An additional objective of this report is present the anatomy of the preparation by dissection and viewing of neurons under a dissecting microscope.
JoVE Immunology and Infection
Specific Marking of HIV-1 Positive Cells using a Rev-dependent Lentiviral Vector Expressing the Green Fluorescent Protein
We have developed a lentiviral vector that possesses, in addition to the Tat-responsive LTR, the Rev-response element (RRE) that can regulate reporter gene expression in an HIV-1 Tat- and Rev-dependent fashion. The vector permits the specific detection of replicating HIV in living cells via the expression of GFP.
JoVE Neuroscience
An Organotypic Slice Assay for High-Resolution Time-Lapse Imaging of Neuronal Migration in the Postnatal Brain
This protocol describes an organotypic slice assay optimized for the postnatal brain and high-resolution time-lapse imaging of neuroblast migration in the rostral migratory stream.
JoVE Neuroscience
Selective Viral Transduction of Adult-born Olfactory Neurons for Chronic in vivo Optogenetic Stimulation
Adult-born neurons of the olfactory bulb can be optogenetically controlled using Channelrhodopsin2-expressing lentiviral injection in the rostral migratory stream and chronic photostimulation with an implanted miniature LED.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Remote Magnetic Navigation for Accurate, Real-time Catheter Positioning and Ablation in Cardiac Electrophysiology Procedures
1Cardiology, Robotic Cardiac Electrophysiology and Arrhythmia Unit, La Paz University Hospital, 2Magnetecs Corp., 3Cardiology, Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA Los Angeles
This report provides a detailed description of a new remote navigation system based on magnetic driven forces, which has been recently introduced as a new robotic tool for human cardiac electrophysiology procedures.
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