University Hospitals Leuven 3 articles published in JoVE Medicine Rectal Organoid Morphology Analysis (ROMA): A Diagnostic Assay in Cystic Fibrosis Senne Cuyx1,2, Anabela S. Ramalho1, Nikky Corthout3,4, Steffen Fieuws5, Eva Fürstová6, Kaline Arnauts7,8, Marc Ferrante7,9, Catherine Verfaillie8, Sebastian Munck3,4, Mieke Boon1,2, Marijke Proesmans1,2, Lieven Dupont10,11, Kris De Boeck1,2, François Vermeulen1,2 1Department of Development and Regeneration, Woman and Child Unit, CF research lab, KU Leuven, 2Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Pulmonology, University Hospitals Leuven, 3VIB Bio Imaging Core, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, 4Department for Neuroscience, KU Leuven, 5Interuniversity Center for Biostatistics and Statistical Bioinformatics, University of Leuven and University of Hasselt, 6Department of Pediatrics, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and Motol University Hospital, 7Department of Chronic Diseases and Metabolism (CHROMETA), Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders (TARGID), KU Leuven, 8Department of Development and Regeneration, Stem Cell Institute Leuven (SCIL), KU Leuven, 9Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospitals Leuven, KU Leuven, 10Department of Chronic Diseases, Metabolism and Ageing; Pneumology, KU Leuven, 11Department of Respiratory Diseases, University Hospitals Leuven This protocol describes rectal organoid morphology analysis (ROMA), a novel diagnostic assay for cystic fibrosis (CF). Morphological characteristics, namely the roundness (circularity index, CI) and the presence of a lumen (intensity ratio, IR), are a measure of CFTR function. Analysis of 189 subjects showed perfect discrimination between CF and non-CF. Neuroscience Generation of Human Motor Units with Functional Neuromuscular Junctions in Microfluidic Devices Katarina Stoklund Dittlau1,2, Emily N. Krasnow1,2, Laura Fumagalli1,2, Tijs Vandoorne1,2, Pieter Baatsen3,4, Axelle Kerstens3,4, Giorgia Giacomazzi5, Benjamin Pavie3,4, Elisabeth Rossaert1,2, Jimmy Beckers1,2, Maurilio Sampaolesi5, Philip Van Damme1,2,6, Ludo Van Den Bosch1,2 1Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, and Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, 2VIB Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, , 3VIB Center for Brain & Disease Research, Research Group Molecular Neurobiology, , 4VIB Bio Imaging Core, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, 5Department of Development and Regeneration, Stem Cell and Developmental Biology, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, 6Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven We describe a method to generate human motor units in commercially available microfluidic devices by co-culturing human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived motor neurons with human primary mesoangioblast-derived myotubes resulting in the formation of functionally active neuromuscular junctions. Chemistry Synthesis of Aptamer-PEI-g-PEG Modified Gold Nanoparticles Loaded with Doxorubicin for Targeted Drug Delivery Lei Nie1,2, Shaolan Sun1, Meng Sun1, Qiuju Zhou3, Zongwen Zhang3, Lingyun Zheng3, Lingling Wang3 1College of Life Sciences, Xinyang Normal University, 2Department of Imaging & Pathology, University of Leuven and Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospitals Leuven, 3Analysis & Testing Center, Xinyang Normal University In this protocol, doxorubicin-loaded AS1411-g-PEI-g-PEG modified gold nanoparticles are synthesized via three-step amide reactions. Then, doxorubicin is loaded and delivered to target cancer cells for cancer therapy.
