Name: Clonogenic Assay: Adherent Cells (Video) | JoVE Journal
Uploaded: 2011-03-13T11:00:00.000+00:00
Duration: 5 min 30 s
Description: Learn the clonogenic survival assay for evaluating cellular reproductive viability in adherent cells. This 50-year-old technique assesses radiation sensitivity and tests radio protective compounds in radiation biology research.

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5 minutes

The support of the Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering is acknowledged. TCK was the recipient of AINSE awards. Epigenomic Medicine Lab is supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (566559). HR is supported by an Australian post-graduate and BakerIDI bright spark awards. This work is funded by the CRC for Biomedical Imaging Development Ltd (CRC-BID), established and supported under the Australian Government's Cooperative Research Centres program. CO is the recipient an Australian post-graduate award and a CRC-BID supplementary scholarship.

1. Cell Culture and Experimental Set-up
<ol>
<li>Human keratinocytes are maintained as monolayers in 75 cm2 tissue culture flasks containing 15 mL of keratinocyte-SFM (K-SFM) medium (GIBCO, serum-free medium) supplemented with L-glutamine (2 mM), epidermal growth factor (5 ng/ mL), bovine pituitary extract (40 &mu;g/ mL) and 20 mg/ mL gentamicin. Cells are grown in a humidified 5% CO2 environment at 37&deg;C.</li>
<li>Cells are seeded into 12 x 25 cm2 tissue culture flasks containing 5 mL of K-SFM medium.</li>
</ol>
Single cell suspensions are prepared by trypsinization. Cells are washed with phosphate buffered saline and incubated with a 0.05% trypsin / EDTA solution for 5-10 minutes. When the cells start to become rounded and ~30% are detached, 3 volumes of Dulbecco's modified eagle medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum is added to neutralize the trypsin. The cells are detached by pipetting up and down (20 times). Cells are counted using a hemocytometer.
Appropriate cell numbers are seeded according to the doubling time of the cell line (approximately 20 hours for human FEP-1811 keratinocytes). The aim is to achieve ~90% confluency (~106 cells per flask) on the day of the experiment.
An experiment consisting of 12 flasks is optimal for a single clonogenic assay (six unirradiated control and six irradiated flasks) which can be completed in approximately four hours.


2. Treatment and Irradiation
<ol>
<li>Treat cells for an appropriate time with a relevant radiation-modifying compound and expose cells to ionising radiation either &gamma;-radiation or X-rays.</li>
</ol>
Typically six flasks serve as plating efficiency (untreated) and drug only controls. The other six flasks are irradiated.
In this example human keratinocytes are treated with various concentration of Cinnulin PF (CPF; Integrity Nutraceuticals International, Spring Hill, TN, US; representative data for 20 &mu;g/ mL is shown below), a water-soluble natural antioxidant formulation, for 1 hour at 37&deg;C. Cells are irradiated with 4 Gy using a 137Cs source (Gammacell 1000 Elite irradiator; Nordion International, ON, Canada; 1.6 Gy/min).

3. Plating
<ol>
<li>Following treatment, single cell suspensions are obtained as described earlier.</li>
<li>The number of cells in each sample are counted carefully using a hemocytometer and diluted such that appropriate cell numbers are seeded into petri dishes (five replicates of each in 15 mm dishes). 
The plating efficiency and / or surviving fraction should be anticipated when deciding the number of cells to seed per plate. The aim is to achieve a range of between 20 - 150 colonies.</li>
</ol>
Petri dishes are arranged in a humidified plastic cloning box and incubated in a 5% CO2 environment at 37&deg;C for colony formation.
The incubation time for colony formation varies from 1-3 weeks for different cell lines; it is accepted that the time must be equivalent to at least six cell divisions. In this example, the control dishes for human keratinocytes require eight days to form sufficiently large clones consisting of 50 or more cells.

4. Fixing and Staining Colonies
Complete the following steps in a fume hood.
<ol>
<li>Gently remove the media from each of the plates by aspiration.</li>
<li>Wash each plate with 5 mL 0.9% saline.</li>
<li>Fix the colonies with 5 mL 10% neutral buffered formalin solution for 15-30 minutes.</li>
<li>Stain with 5 mL 0.01% (w/v) crystal violet in dH2O for 30-60 minutes.</li>
<li>Wash excess crystal violet with dH2O and allow dishes to dry.</li>
</ol>
5. Colony Counting
Stereomicroscope
<ol>
<li>Colonies containing more than 50 individual cells are counted using a stereomicroscope.</li>
</ol>
Digital imaging and counting using imaging software
<ol>
<li>Digital images of the colonies are obtained using a camera or scanning device</li>
<li>Colonies are counted using imaging analysis software packages as described below.</li>
</ol>
Cell counting using ImageJ (Fiji Version 1.44a)
<ol>
<li>Open the image file in Fiji, go to File -> Open.</li>
<li>If required convert the image to 8-bit format, go to Image -> Adjust...-> Threshold.</li>
<li>Adjust threshold to reduce levels of non-specific background so that only the colonies are detected.</li>
<li>Count colonies using the following: go to Process -> Binary -> Find maxima.</li>
</ol>
For this image format, noise tolerance can be set to 0. Ensure that light background option is ticked and preview the detected maxima to check that all cell colonies have been correctly registered.

<ol><li>Puck, T. T., Marcus, P. I. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Action+of+x-rays+on+mammalian+cells%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22J+Exp+Med%22%5BJournal%5D)">Action of x-rays on mammalian cells.</a> J Exp Med. 103, 653-666 (1956).</li>
<li>Hurlin, P. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Progression+of+human+papillomavirus+type+18-immortalized+human+keratinocytes+to+a+malignant+phenotype%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Proc+Natl+Acad+Sci+U+S+A%22%5BJournal%5D)">Progression of human papillomavirus type 18-immortalized human keratinocytes to a malignant phenotype.</a> Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 88, 570-574 (1991).</li>
</ol>

No conflicts of interest declared.

In this example human FEP-1811 keratinocytes were treated with various concentrations up to 100 μg/ mL CPF; data is shown for 20 μg/ mL CPF for 1 hour at 37°C. Following treatment cells were irradiated with 4 Gy using a 137Cs source (Gammacell 1000 Elite irradiator; Nordion International, ON, Canada; 1.6 Gy/min). For the control untreated and drug only treatments 100 cells were plated in each petri dish and 1000 cells per dish were plated for the irradiated samples. As indicated in the table above, colonies...

<table><tbody><tr><td>Keratinocyte-serum free medium</td><td>Growth medium</td><td>Invitrogen</td><td>17005042</td><td>Supplemented with 2mM L-glutamine, 20&amp;#x03BC;g/ml gentamicin, epidermal growth factor, bovine pituitary extract.</td></tr><tr><td>Trypsin-EDTA</td><td></td><td>Invitrogen</td><td>15400-054</td><td>0.05% trypsin / EDTA to detach adherent cells; 10 x stock diluted in PBS w/o Ca&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt;/Mg&lt;sup&gt;2+&lt;/sup&gt;.</td></tr><tr><td>Dulbecco&amp;rsquo;s modified essential medium</td><td>Growth medium</td><td>Invitrogen</td><td>11885-084</td><td>Supplemented with 10% FBS and 20&amp;#x03BC;g/ml gentamicin; used to neutralise trypsin/EDTA.</td></tr><tr><td>0.09% Saline</td><td>Solution</td><td></td><td></td><td>Used to wash colonies.</td></tr><tr><td>10% Neutral buffered formalin solution</td><td>Solution</td><td>Sigma-Aldrich</td><td>HT501128</td><td>~4% formaldehyde; used to fix colonies.</td></tr><tr><td>Crystal violet</td><td>Powder</td><td>SPI Supplies</td><td>02577-MB</td><td>0.01% crystal violet solution, prepared in dH&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O, used to stain colonies.</td></tr><tr><td>Gammacell 1000 elite irradiator</td><td></td><td>Nordion International Inc.</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Petri dishes</td><td>60 x 15 mm</td><td>Falcon BD</td><td>353002</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Haemocytometer</td><td></td><td>Hawksley; Medical and Laboratory Equipment</td><td>AC1000</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Cloning box</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Plastic box with holes punched at opposite sides of lid; for storing petri dishes during prolonged incubation for colony formation.</td></tr><tr><td>Stereomicroscope</td><td>Type 102</td><td>Nikon Instruments</td><td></td><td>Used to count colonies consisting of &amp;gt;50 cells.</td></tr></tbody></table>

clonogenic assay: adherent cells

Clonogenic Assay: Adherent Cells

The clonogenic (or colony forming) assay has been established for more than 50 years; the original paper describing the technique was published in 19561. Apart from documenting the method, the initial landmark study generated the first radiation-dose response curve for X-ray irradiated mammalian (HeLa) cells in culture1. Basically, the clonogenic assay enables an assessment of the differences in reproductive viability (capacity of cells to produce progeny; i.e. a single cell to form a colony of 50 or more cells) between control untreated cells and cells that have undergone various treatments such as exposure to ionising radiation, various chemical compounds (e.g. cytotoxic agents) or in other cases genetic manipulation. The assay has become the most widely accepted technique in radiation biology and has been widely used for evaluating the radiation sensitivity of different cell lines. Further, the clonogenic assay is commonly used for monitoring the efficacy of radiation modifying compounds and for determining the effects of cytotoxic agents and other anti-cancer therapeutics on colony forming ability, in different cell lines. A typical clonogenic survival experiment using adherent cells lines involves three distinct components, 1) treatment of the cell monolayer in tissue culture flasks, 2) preparation of single cell suspensions and plating an appropriate number of cells in petri dishes and 3) fixing and staining colonies following a relevant incubation period, which could range from 1-3 weeks, depending on the cell line. Here we demonstrate the general procedure for performing the clonogenic assay with adherent cell lines with the use of an immortalized human keratinocyte cell line (FEP-1811)2. Also, our aims are to describe common features of clonogenic assays including calculation of the plating efficiency and survival fractions after exposure of cells to radiation, and to exemplify modification of radiation-response with the use of a natural antioxidant formulation.

The applicability of the clonogenic assay for evaluating reproductive viability has been established for more than 50 years. Here we demonstrate the general procedure for performing the clonogenic assay with adherent cells.

The clonogenic (or colony forming) assay has been established for more than 50 years; the original paper describing the technique was published in 19561. ...

Hi, my name's Lum and I'm currently undertaking my PhD at the BE IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute under the supervision of Dr.Tom Carianne, who's head of the Epigenomic Medicine Lab. In this video, I'll be demonstrating the procedure known as Clon Genic Survival Assay. This is a 50-year-old technique, which enables the assessment of the impact of different treatments such as exposure to radiation or chemical agents on cellular reproductive viability.Congenic survival assay is a central technique in radiation biology for evaluating the radiation sensitivity of different cell lines and testing the efficacy of different radio protective or radio sensitizing compounds. When using an A adherent cell line, the cryogenic survival assay consists of three phases. First, the treatment of a mono layer of a adherent cells.Second, the preparation of a single cell suspension and plating of known number of cells and painted dishes, and third, staining, counting, and colonies formed after a period of incubation. In this video, I'll be using immortalized, human cino site cells to demonstrate how polygenic Bible assay can be used to determine the radio protect properties of the natural antioxidant. 1225 M flas are seeded of cells in five mils of media beforehand, so that on the day of the experiment there are 1 million cells per flask.50 microliters of the drug is added at different concentrations to the five mils of media in each appropriately labeled flask to achieve the required concentration, five concentrations are used as well as one vehicle control in this case, PBS. After adding the drug, the cells are incubated for one hour in the conditions appropriate for the cell line used After incubation. The flux, excluding the control group, are irradiated at the chosen dosage, which in this case is four gray produced by a gamma ray emitting cesium source.After irradiation, the medias poured off and each flask is washed with two mils of PBS for five minutes. After pouring off the PBS two mils of 0.05%trypsin are added to each flask to detach the A adherent cells from the flask. Bottom five milliliters of DMEM containing 10%fetal bovine serum is then added to each flask to deactivate the trypsin.The full contents of the fasc are then transferred to labeled 10 milliliter falcon tubes. Once complete, these tubes are centrifuge for five minutes, after which the supinator is discarded carefully without disturbing the palate, and five mils of crecy media is added to each tube. The concentration of cells for each sample is ENC calculated as well as the volume needed of each sample to achieve final concentration of cells to be plated out into five Petri dishes per sample with five milliliters of media each.For example, for the control group, 100 cells are plated per dish, so the volume needed to achieve 500 cells per 25 milliliters is calculated for more concentrated samples, perform either a 10 times dilution or a 100 times serial dilution to minimize the error involved when using volumes less than 100 microliters. Now the volume previously calculated is prepared into a Falcon tube containing 25 milliliters of media for each sample. The samples can now be transferred to previously labeled pre to dishes, adding five milliliters to each dish for easier handling and transport.Store the dishes in a large, sterile, or disinfected container. The dishes are then placed in a humidified incubator in the appropriate conditions and incubated for eight days. If using keratinocytes after eight days, carefully remove the dishes from the incubator and lay them all out one by one inside a fume hood.Be careful to handle the place gently so that any colonies that have formed aren't disturbed. Remove the lids and add five mls of 0.9%saline to each dish to wash them. Aim the prepare tip into the corner of the dish and avoid touching the bottom of the dish so that any colonies are not accidentally scraped off.After five minutes, carefully aspirate out the saline. Now, colonies are fixed with three milliliters of 4%formula, and the leads must be replaced to avoid evaporation. After 15 minutes to half an hour, the formula is aspirated out and disposed of appropriately.The colonies are now ready to be stained with 0.1%Crystal violet, five milliliters are added to each dish and the lids are replaced after half an hour to one hour. The dye is then washed off with distilled water and the dishes are inverted and allowed to dry overnight. The colonies are now ready to be counted.Colonies can be counted manually using a dissecting microscope. Any cluster of cells containing 50 or more cells is considered to be a colony. And that concludes our demonstration of the Congenic survival assay.The main advantage of this assay over other techniques is that it's incredibly sensitive and can detect survival over a large range even after six logs of cell kill. This, this sensitivity is achieved by plating larger cell numbers. This essay can easily be used for other purposes, such as test, such as testing cytotoxicity.Thanks for watching.

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Learn the clonogenic survival assay for evaluating cellular reproductive viability in adherent cells. This 50-year-old technique assesses radiation sensitivity and tests radio protective compounds in radiation biology research.

Clonogenic Assay: Adherent Cells

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