Texas A&M University System Health Science Center View Institution's Website 8 articles published in JoVE Immunology and Infection Stem Cell-Derived Viral Ag-Specific T Lymphocytes Suppress HBV Replication in Mice Xiaofang Xiong1, Fengyang Lei2, Mohammad Haque1, Jianxun Song1 1Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, 2Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School Presented here is a protocol for the effective suppression of hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication in mice by utilizing adoptive cell transfer (ACT) of stem cell-derived viral antigen (Ag)-specific T lymphocytes. This procedure may be adapted for potential ACT-based immunotherapy of HBV infection. Developmental Biology Production and Administration of Therapeutic Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cell (MSC) Spheroids Primed in 3-D Cultures Under Xeno-free Conditions Joni H. Ylostalo1, Nikolay Bazhanov2, Arezoo Mohammadipoor3, Thomas J. Bartosh4 1Department of Biology, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, 2Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Medical Branch, 3Multi-Organ Support Technology Task Area, U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research, 4Internal Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center The therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) is well-documented, however the best method of preparing the cells for patients remains controversial. Herein, we communicate protocols to efficiently generate and administer therapeutic spherical aggregates or 'spheroids' of MSCs primed under xeno-free conditions for experimental and clinical applications. Immunology and Infection Examination of Host Phenotypes in Gambusia affinis Following Antibiotic Treatment Jeanette M. Carlson1, Oscar Chavez1,2, Sonali Aggarwal1, Todd P. Primm1 1Biological Sciences, Sam Houston State University, 2Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy, Texas A&M University Health Science Center This study involves methods to reveal effects on a model fish host following alteration of the skin and gut microbiome communities composition by an antibiotic. Medicine Oxygen-Glucose Deprivation and Reoxygenation as an In Vitro Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury Model for Studying Blood-Brain Barrier Dysfunction Himakarnika Alluri1,2, Chinchusha Anasooya Shaji2, Matthew L. Davis1,2, Binu Tharakan1,2 1Department of Surgery, Texas A&M University Health Science Center College of Medicine, 2Department of Surgery, Baylor Scott & White Health Ischemia-Reperfusion (IR) injury is associated with a high rate of morbidity and mortality. The goal of the in vitro model of oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD-R) described here is to assess the effects of ischemia reperfusion injury on a variety of cells, particularly in blood-brain barrier (BBB) endothelial cells. Medicine A Simple Critical-sized Femoral Defect Model in Mice Bret H. Clough1, Matthew R. McCarley2, Carl A. Gregory1,3 1Institute for Regenerative Medicine at Scott & White Hospital, Texas A&M Health Science Center, 2Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, 3Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center Animal models are frequently employed to mimic serious bone injury in biomedical research. Due to their small size, establishment of stabilized bone lesions in mice are beyond the capabilities of most research groups. Herein, we describe a simple method for establishing and analyzing experimental femoral defects in mice. Immunology and Infection High-throughput Assay to Phenotype Salmonella enterica Typhimurium Association, Invasion, and Replication in Macrophages Jing Wu1, Roberta Pugh1, Richard C. Laughlin1, Helene Andrews-Polymenis2, Michael McClelland3, Andreas J. Bäumler4, L. Garry Adams1 1Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, 2Department of Microbial and Molecular Pathogenesis, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University System Health Science Center, 3University of California, Irvine, 4Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis A high-throughput assay to in vitro phenotype Salmonella or other bacterial association, invasion, and replication in phagocytic cells with high-throughput capacity was developed. The method was employed to evaluate Salmonella gene knockout mutant strains for their involvements in host-pathogen interactions. Biology RNAi Screening to Identify Postembryonic Phenotypes in C. elegans Katherine K. Beifuss1, Tina L. Gumienny1 1Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Texas A&M University System Health Science Center We describe a sensitized method to identify postembryonic regulators of protein expression and localization in C. elegans using an RNAi-based genomic screen and an integrated transgene that expresses a functional, fluorescently tagged protein. Biology Visualization of Caenorhabditis elegans Cuticular Structures Using the Lipophilic Vital Dye DiI Robbie D. Schultz1, Tina L. Gumienny1 1Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Texas A&M University System Health Science Center, College of Medicine We present a method to visualize cuticle in live C. elegans using the red fluorescent lipophilic dye DiI (1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate), which is commonly used in C. elegans to visualize environmentally exposed neurons. With this optimized protocol, alae and annular cuticular structures are stained by DiI and observed using compound microscopy.