Dextran Microinjection
Dextran Microinjection - Related Videos
07:42
Activation of Apoptosis by Cytoplasmic Microinjection of Cytochrome c
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Cited by 15 •
2011
In this protocol, we describe the direct cytoplasmic microinjection of cytochrome c protein into fibroblasts and primary sympathetic neurons. This technique allows for the introduction of cytochrome c protein into the cytoplasm of cells and mimics the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria, which occurs during apoptosis.
11:32
Analysis of mRNA Nuclear Export Kinetics in Mammalian Cells by Microinjection
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Cited by 31 •
2010
Here we describe an assay that employs the power of microinjection coupled with fluorescent in situ hybridization in order to accurately measure the nuclear export kinetics of mRNA in mammalian somatic cells.
08:12
Zebrafish Microinjection Techniques
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2023
One of the major advantages to working with zebrafish (Danio rerio) is that their genetics can be easily manipulated by microinjection of early stage embryos. Using this technique, solutions containing genetic material or knockdown constructs are delivered into the blastomeres: the embryonic cells sitting atop the yolk of the newly fertilized egg. Delivery into the cytoplasm is achieved either through direct injection into the blastomere, or via natural cytoplasmic movements that occur after a...
02:56
FITC-Dextran Feeding: A Method to Quantify Intestinal Permeability in C. elegans
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2023
This video introduces a method of to visualize and measure the integrity of the C. elegans intestine lumen by feeding worms FITC-labeled dextran. The example protocol shows the assay done with 3,3’-diindolylmethane (DIM)-treated and pathogen-fed worms.
12:00
Preparation and Characterization of SDF-1α-Chitosan-Dextran Sulfate Nanoparticles
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Cited by 9 •
2015
The objective of this protocol is to incorporate SDF-1α, a stem cell homing factor, into dextran sulfate-chitosan nanoparticles. The resultant particles are measured for their size and zeta potential, as well as the content, activity, and in vitro release rate of SDF-1α from the nanoparticles.
FAQs
A fine micropipette uses controlled pressure to drive dextran solution across the cell membrane. This pressure provides the mechanical force for delivery, while membrane integrity determines whether the introduced tracer remains within the target cell or can move through the membrane boundary. Consequently, pressure and membrane condition are central variables when interpreting intracellular labeling and subsequent observations of cell behavior.
Dextran size influences how it moves and how long it is retained after injection. These properties affect the tracer’s intracellular distribution, so different dextran preparations may produce different patterns even when delivered with the same micropipette approach. Accounting for molecular size is therefore important when examining intracellular transport, cell labeling, or the persistence of material within cells.
Fluorescently labeled dextran provides a visible tracer for following material inside living biological systems. Its signal can show where the introduced substance is distributed and support analysis of intracellular transport, cell structure, and connectivity. Fluorescence therefore turns tracer movement and retention into observable spatial information that can be related to cellular behavior.
A typical experiment begins by preparing a dextran solution, placing it in a fine micropipette, positioning the pipette at an individual cell or tissue, and applying controlled pressure to cross the membrane. Researchers then examine the tracer’s distribution or retention. This workflow links a defined delivery event with observable intracellular patterns.
Introducing a visible dextran tracer into selected cells allows those cells to be identified within a living biological system. Researchers can use that labeling to follow cellular location and behavior over an experiment and to support lineage-tracing studies. The approach is especially useful when the relationship between an initially labeled cell and later observations must remain experimentally trackable.
In medicine and biomedical research, the method can provide information about membrane permeability, intracellular transport, cell connectivity, and responses in living systems. It also supports analysis of cellular structure and behavior by marking selected cells or tissues with a controlled tracer. These outcomes help connect visible tracer patterns with biological organization and cellular responses.