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Method Article

A Technique to Develop a Parasite Infection in Intestinal Organoids via Microinjection

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July 8th, 2025

In This Article

Abstract

Source: Dutta, D., et al. Studying Cryptosporidium Infection in 3D Tissue-derived Human Organoid Culture Systems by Microinjection. J. Vis. Exp. (2019).

This video demonstrates a microinjection technique to develop a human intestinal organoid infection model. The infectious sporozoite stage of the parasite Cryptosporidium parvum is microinjected into the organoid lumen. Upon invading the epithelial cells of the organoid, it undergoes asexual and sexual reproduction to complete its life cycle and spreads the infection.

Protocol

1. In Vitro Purification of Sporozoites from C. parvum Oocysts

  1. Purify sporozoites from C. parvum oocysts after bleaching and washing out the bleach as described above.
    1. Transfer the oocysts to a 15 mL tube. Resuspend oocysts in room temperature excystation medium (0.75% w/v sodium taurocholate in DMEM) to obtain 1 x 107 oocysts/mL. The addition of taurocholate improves the excystation rate of the oocysts, improving sporozoite yield.
    2. Incubate oocyst suspension at 37 °C for 1–1.5 h.
    3. Check the sample microscopically for the extent of excystation; 60̵....

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Results

Oocyst processing and sporozoite isolation diagram; microscopy images of excysted oocysts and filtering.
Figure 1: Preparation and purification of Cryptosporidium oocysts and sporozoites. (A) Schematic representation of the method used for oocyst and sporozoite preparation for infection. (B) Image showing in v.......

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Disclosures

No conflicts of interest declared.

Materials

List of materials used in this article
NameCompanyCatalog NumberComments
Basement membrane extract (extracellular matrix)amsbio3533-010-02
Dynamag 15 rackThermofisher Scientific12301D
Dynamag 2 rackThermofisher Scientific12321D
EMD Millipore Isopore Polycarbonate Membrane Filters- 3µmEMD-MilliporeTSTP02500
Fast green dyeSIGMAF7252-5G
Femtojet 4i MicroinjectorEppendorf5252000013
Glass capillaries of 1 mm diameterWPITW100F-4
Matrigel (extracellular matrix)Corning356237
Microfuge tube 1.5mlEppendorfT9661-1000EA
Micro-loader tipsEppendorf612-7933
Micropipette puller P-97Shutter instrumentP-97
PenstrepGibco15140-122
Sodium hypoclorite (use 5%)Clorox50371478
Super stick slidesWaterborne, IncS100-3
Swinnex-25 47mm Polycarbonate filter holderEMD-MilliporeSX0002500
Taurocholic acid sodium salt hydrateSIGMAT4009-5G
Tween-20Merck8221840500
Vortex Genie 2Scientific industries, IncSI0236
Adv+++ (DMEM+Penstrep+Glutamax+Hepes)Final amount
DMEMInvitrogen12634-010500ml
PenstrepGibco15140-1225ml of stock in 500ml DMEM
GlutamaxGibco350500385ml of stock in 500ml DMEM
HepesGibco156300565ml of stock in 500ml DMEM
INTESTINAL ORGANOID MEDIA-OME (Expansion media)Final concentration
A83-01Tocris2939-50mg0.5µM
Adv+++make upto 100 ml
B27Invitrogen175040441X
EGFPeprotechAF-100-1550ng/mL
GastrinTocris3006-1mg10 nM
NACSigmaA9125-25G1.25mM
NICSigmaN0636-100G10mM
Noggin CMIn house*10%
P38 inhibitor (SB202190)SigmaS7076-25 mg10µM
PGE2Tocris2296-1010 nM
PrimocinInvivoGenant-pm-11ml/500ml media
RSpoI CMIn house*20%
Wnt3a CMIn house*50%
In house* - cell lines will be provided upon request
INTESTINAL ORGANOID MEDIA-OMD (Differentiation media)To differentiate organoids, expanding small intestinal organoids were grown in a Wnt-rich medium for six to seven days after splitting, and then grown in a differentiation medium (withdrawal of Wnt, nicotinamide, SB202190, in a differentiation medium (withdrawal of Wnt, nicotinamide, SB202190, prostaglandin E2 from a Wnt-rich medium or OME)
Reducing buffer (for resuspension of oocysts and sporozoites for injection)Final concentration
L-Glutathione reducedSigmaG4251-10MG0.5 μg/μl of OME/OMD/LOM
BetaineSigma619620.5 μg/μl of OME/OMD/LOM
L-CysteineSigma168149-2.5G0.5 μg/μl of OME/OMD/LOM
Linoleic acidSigmaL1376-10MG6.8 μg/ml of OME/OMD /LOM
TaurineSigmaT0625-10MG0.5 μg/μl of OME/OMD/LOM

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