Isolation of Preadipocytes from Broiler Chick Embryos

Summary

The present protocol describes a simple method for isolating preadipocytes from adipose tissue in broiler embryos. This method enables isolation with high yield, primary culture, and adipogenic differentiation of preadipocytes. Oil Red O staining and lipid/DNA stain measured the adipogenic ability of isolated cells induced with differentiation media.

Abstract

Primary preadipocytes are a valuable experimental system for understanding the molecular pathways that control adipocyte differentiation and metabolism. Chicken embryos provide the opportunity to isolate preadipocytes from the earliest stage of adipose development. This primary cell can be used to identify factors influencing preadipocyte proliferation and adipogenic differentiation, making them a valuable model for studies related to childhood obesity and control of excess fat deposition in poultry. The rapid growth of postnatal adipose tissue effectively wastes feed by allocating it away from muscle growth in broiler chickens. Therefore, methods to understand the earliest stages of adipose tissue development may provide clues to regulate this tendency and identify ways to limit adipose expansion early in life. The present study was designed to develop an efficient method for isolation, primary culture, and adipogenic differentiation of preadipocytes isolated from developing adipose tissue of commercial broiler (meat-type) chick embryos. The procedure has been optimized to yield cells with high viability (~98%) and increased capacity to differentiate into mature adipocytes. This simple method of embryonic preadipocyte isolation, culture, and differentiation supports functional analyses of fat growth and development in early life.

Introduction

Obesity is a global health threat to both adults and children. Children who are overweight or obese are approximately five times more likely to be obese as adults, placing them at significantly increased risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and many other comorbidities. About 13.4% of US children aged 2-5 have obesity¹, illustrating that the tendency to accumulate excess body fat can be set in motion very early in life. For very different reasons, the accumulation of excess adipose tissue is a concern for broiler (meat-type) chickens. Modern broilers are incredibly efficient but still accumulate more lipid than is physiologically necessar....

Protocol

All animal procedures were approved by the University of Tennessee Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Freshly fertilized commercial broiler eggs (Cobb 500) were obtained from a local hatchery. Eggs were incubated at 38 °C with 60% relative humidity until dissections at embryonic days 16-18 (E16-E18). Adipose tissue was collected from the subcutaneous (femoral) depot.

1. Preparation for isolation and culture

1. Prepare the culture hood and the instruments.
   1. Before starting dissections, set up a work area in the laminar-flow hood. Disinfect the working area and all the instruments by swabbin....

Results

Primary preadipocytes are morphologically similar to fibroblasts, with irregular, star-like shapes and a central nucleus (Figure 2A-C). The cells readily adhere to tissue culture plastic and begin to proliferate soon after attachment. They rapidly differentiate and accumulate lipid droplets (Figure 3D) when provided with fatty acids in the media. The viability (98%, based on dye exclusion) reported in the isolations represented .......

Discussion

Although several well-described protocols have reported the isolation of preadipocytes^14,15,16,17, isolation for embryonic preadipocytes has been optimized, which can be used for functional analyses of early life fat growth and development in broiler chicks. This protocol yields high viability embryonic adipocyte progenitors with high differentiation potential. Moreover, the presented procedure.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
1 mL Pipette	Eppendorf	Z683825	Single Channel Pipette, 100 - 1000 µL
1 mL Pipette Tip	Fisher Scientific	02-707-402
100% Isopropanol	Fisher Scientific	A426P4
1x PBS	Gibco	10010023
25 mL Flask	Pyrex	4980-25
37% Formaldehyde	Fisher Scientific	F75P-1GAL
6-Well Plate	Falcon	353046	Tissue Culture-treated
96-Well Assay Plate	Costar	3632
96-Well Plate, Black Bottom	Costar	3603	Tissue Culture-treated
AdipoRed	Lonza	PT-7009
Amphotericin B	Gibco	15290026
Bench Top Wiper (Kimtechwiper)	Kimberly-Clark	34155
Betadine	Up & Up	NDC 1167300334	20% Working Solution
Cell Counter	Corning	6749
Cell Strainer, 40 µm	SPL	93040
Centrifugaton	Eppendorf	5702
Chicken Serum	Gibco	16110082
Conical Centrifuge Tubes, 15 mL	VWR	10025-690
Conical Centrifuge Tubes, 50 mL	Falcon	352098
Cryovial	Nunc	343958
Curved Forceps, 100 mm	Roboz Surgical	RS-5137
Curved Surgical Scissors, 115 mm	Roboz Surgical	RS-6839
Distilled Water	Millipore	SYNSV0000	Despensed as needed
DMEM/F12	HyClone	SH30023.01
DMSO	Sigma	D2650
Ethanol	Decon Labs	2701	70% Working Solution
Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS)	Gibco	10437028
Fluorescent Microscope	EVOS	M7000
Fluorescent Plate Reader	Biotek	Synergy H1
Foil	Reynolds		Reynolds Wrap Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil, 125 SQ. FT.
Freezing Container	Thermo Scientific	5100-0001
Gelatin	Millipore	4055	2% Working Solution
Hematocytometer (Counting Chamber)	Corning	480200	0.1 mm deep
Incubator	Fisher Scientific	6845
Instrument Sterilizer	VWR	B1205
Linoleic Acid-Oleic Acid-Albumin	Sigma	L9655	1x Working Solution
Microscope	Evos	AMEX1000
Multi-Channel Pipette	Thermo Scientific	4661070	12-Channel Pipetters, 30 - 300 µL
Na2HPO4	Sigma	S-7907
NaH2PO4	Sigma	S-3139
NucBlue	Invitrogen	R37605
Oil Red O	Sigma	O-0625
Orbital Shaker	IKA	KS130BS1
Paper Towel	Tork	RK8002
Parafilm	Parafilm M	PM996
Penicillin/Steptomycin (P/S)	Gibco	15140122	1x Working Solution
Petri dishes, 100 mm	Falcon	351029
Petri dishes, 60 mm	Falcon	351007
Plate Shaker	VWR	200
RBC Lysis Buffer	Roche	11814389001
Reagent Reservior	VWR	89094-680
Small Beaker, 100 mL	Pyrex	1000-100
Spectrophotometer Plate Reader	Biotek	Synergy H1
Sterile Gauze	McKesson	762703
Straight Forceps, 120 mm	Roboz Surgical	RS-4960
Straight Scissors, 140 mm	Roboz Surgical	RS-6762
T-25 Flask	Corning	430639	Tissue Culture-treated
Tissue Culture Incubator	Thermo Scientific	50144906
Tissue Strainer, 250 µm	Pierce	87791
Trypan Blue Stain	Gibco	15250061
Trypsin	Gibco	15400054	0.1% Working Solution
Tweezers, 110 mm	Roboz Surgical	RS-5035
Type 1 Collagenase	Gibco	17100017
Water Bath	Fisher Scientific	15-462-10
Whatman Grade 1 Filter Paper	Whatman	1001-110