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Liu Z, Luo X, Yan-Do R, Wang Y, Xie X, Li Z, Cheng SH, Shi P. Vertebrates on a Chip: Noninvasive Electrical and Optical Mapping of Whole Brain Activity Associated with Pharmacological Treatments. ACS Chem Neurosci 2024; 15:2121-2131. [PMID: 38775291 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.4c00158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Mapping brain activities is necessary for understanding brain physiology and discovering new treatments for neurological disorders. Such efforts have greatly benefited from the advancement in technologies for analyzing neural activity with improving temporal or spatial resolution. Here, we constructed a multielectrode array based brain activity mapping (BAM) system capable of stabilizing and orienting zebrafish larvae for recording electroencephalogram (EEG) like local field potential (LFP) signals and brain-wide calcium dynamics in awake zebrafish. Particularly, we designed a zebrafish trap chip that integrates with an eight-by-eight surface electrode array, so that brain electrophysiology can be noninvasively recorded in an agarose-free and anesthetic-free format with a high temporal resolution of 40 μs, matching the capability typically achieved by invasive LFP recording. Benefiting from the specially designed hybrid system, we can also conduct calcium imaging directly on immobilized awake larval zebrafish, which further supplies us with high spatial resolution brain-wide activity data. All of these innovations reconcile the limitations of sole LFP recording or calcium imaging, emphasizing a synergy of combining electrical and optical modalities within one unified device for activity mapping across a whole vertebrate brain with both improved spatial and temporal resolutions. The compatibility with in vivo drug treatment further makes it suitable for pharmacology studies based on multimodal measurement of brain-wide physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
| | - Xuan Luo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
| | - Richard Yan-Do
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
- Hong Kong Centre for Cerebro-Cardiovascular Health Engineering Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Yuan Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
| | - Xi Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Display Material and Technology School of Electronics and Information Technology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Zhongping Li
- Institute of Environmental Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Shuk Han Cheng
- Department of Biomedical Science, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
| | - Peng Shi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
- Hong Kong Centre for Cerebro-Cardiovascular Health Engineering Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong SAR
- Center of Super-Diamond and Advanced Films (COSDAF), City University of Hong Kong Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR
- Shenzhen Research Institute, City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen, Guangdong 518057, China
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2
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Zhou J, Dong J, Hou H, Huang L, Li J. High-throughput microfluidic systems accelerated by artificial intelligence for biomedical applications. LAB ON A CHIP 2024; 24:1307-1326. [PMID: 38247405 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc01012k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
High-throughput microfluidic systems are widely used in biomedical fields for tasks like disease detection, drug testing, and material discovery. Despite the great advances in automation and throughput, the large amounts of data generated by the high-throughput microfluidic systems generally outpace the abilities of manual analysis. Recently, the convergence of microfluidic systems and artificial intelligence (AI) has been promising in solving the issue by significantly accelerating the process of data analysis as well as improving the capability of intelligent decision. This review offers a comprehensive introduction on AI methods and outlines the current advances of high-throughput microfluidic systems accelerated by AI, covering biomedical detection, drug screening, and automated system control and design. Furthermore, the challenges and opportunities in this field are critically discussed as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianhua Zhou
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China.
- Key Laboratory of Sensing Technology and Biomedical Instruments of Guangdong Province, School of Biomedical Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Jianpei Dong
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China.
- Key Laboratory of Sensing Technology and Biomedical Instruments of Guangdong Province, School of Biomedical Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Hongwei Hou
- Beijing Life Science Academy, Beijing 102209, China
| | - Lu Huang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China.
- Key Laboratory of Sensing Technology and Biomedical Instruments of Guangdong Province, School of Biomedical Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Jinghong Li
- Department of Chemistry, Center for BioAnalytical Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
- New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Shenzhen 518054, China
- Beijing Life Science Academy, Beijing 102209, China
- Center for BioAnalytical Chemistry, Hefei National Laboratory of Physical Science at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
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3
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Stagkourakis S, Spigolon G, Marks M, Feyder M, Kim J, Perona P, Pachitariu M, Anderson DJ. Anatomically distributed neural representations of instincts in the hypothalamus. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.21.568163. [PMID: 38045312 PMCID: PMC10690204 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.21.568163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Artificial activation of anatomically localized, genetically defined hypothalamic neuron populations is known to trigger distinct innate behaviors, suggesting a hypothalamic nucleus-centered organization of behavior control. To assess whether the encoding of behavior is similarly anatomically confined, we performed simultaneous neuron recordings across twenty hypothalamic regions in freely moving animals. Here we show that distinct but anatomically distributed neuron ensembles encode the social and fear behavior classes, primarily through mixed selectivity. While behavior class-encoding ensembles were spatially distributed, individual ensembles exhibited strong localization bias. Encoding models identified that behavior actions, but not motion-related variables, explained a large fraction of hypothalamic neuron activity variance. These results identify unexpected complexity in the hypothalamic encoding of instincts and provide a foundation for understanding the role of distributed neural representations in the expression of behaviors driven by hardwired circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanos Stagkourakis
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 156-29, Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute for Neuroscience, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Giada Spigolon
- Biological Imaging Facility, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Markus Marks
- Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Michael Feyder
- Division of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California 94305, USA
| | - Joseph Kim
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 156-29, Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute for Neuroscience, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Pietro Perona
- Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Marius Pachitariu
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus, Ashburn, VA, USA
| | - David J. Anderson
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 156-29, Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute for Neuroscience, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Blvd, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
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4
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An optofluidic platform for interrogating chemosensory behavior and brainwide neural representation in larval zebrafish. Nat Commun 2023; 14:227. [PMID: 36641479 PMCID: PMC9840631 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-35836-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Studying chemosensory processing desires precise chemical cue presentation, behavioral response monitoring, and large-scale neuronal activity recording. Here we present Fish-on-Chips, a set of optofluidic tools for highly-controlled chemical delivery while simultaneously imaging behavioral outputs and whole-brain neuronal activities at cellular resolution in larval zebrafish. These include a fluidics-based swimming arena and an integrated microfluidics-light sheet fluorescence microscopy (µfluidics-LSFM) system, both of which utilize laminar fluid flows to achieve spatiotemporally precise chemical cue presentation. To demonstrate the strengths of the platform, we used the navigation arena to reveal binasal input-dependent behavioral strategies that larval zebrafish adopt to evade cadaverine, a death-associated odor. The µfluidics-LSFM system enables sequential presentation of odor stimuli to individual or both nasal cavities separated by only ~100 µm. This allowed us to uncover brainwide neural representations of cadaverine sensing and binasal input summation in the vertebrate model. Fish-on-Chips is readily generalizable and will empower the investigation of neural coding in the chemical senses.
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Khalili A, van Wijngaarden E, Zoidl GR, Rezai P. Simultaneous screening of zebrafish larvae cardiac and respiratory functions: a microfluidic multi-phenotypic approach. INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY : QUANTITATIVE BIOSCIENCES FROM NANO TO MACRO 2022; 14:162-170. [PMID: 36416255 DOI: 10.1093/intbio/zyac015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Multi-phenotypic screening of multiple zebrafish larvae plays an important role in enhancing the quality and speed of biological assays. Many microfluidic platforms have been presented for zebrafish phenotypic assays, but multi-organ screening of multiple larvae, from different needed orientations, in a single device that can enable rapid and large-sample testing is yet to be achieved. Here, we propose a multi-phenotypic quadruple-fish microfluidic chip for simultaneous monitoring of heart activity and fin movement of 5-7-day postfertilization zebrafish larvae trapped in the chip. In each experiment, fin movements of four larvae were quantified in the dorsal view in terms of fin beat frequency (FBF). Positioning of four optical prisms next to the traps provided the lateral views of the four larvae and enabled heart rate (HR) monitoring. The device's functionality in chemical testing was validated by assessing the impacts of ethanol on heart and fin activities. Larvae treated with 3% ethanol displayed a significant drop of 13.2 and 35.8% in HR and FBF, respectively. Subsequent tests with cadmium chloride highlighted the novel application of our device for screening the effect of heavy metals on cardiac and respiratory function at the same time. Exposure to 5 $\mu$g/l cadmium chloride revealed a significant increase of 8.2% and 39.2% in HR and FBF, respectively. The device can be employed to monitor multi-phenotypic behavioral responses of zebrafish larvae induced by chemical stimuli in various chemical screening assays, in applications such as ecotoxicology and drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arezoo Khalili
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Georg R Zoidl
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Pouya Rezai
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
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6
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Tomasello DL, Wlodkowic D. Noninvasive Electrophysiology: Emerging Prospects in Aquatic Neurotoxicity Testing. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:4788-4794. [PMID: 35196004 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c08471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The significance of neurotoxicological risks associated with anthropogenic pollution is gaining increasing recognition worldwide. In this regard, perturbations in behavioral traits upon exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of neurotoxic and neuro-modulating contaminants have been linked to diminished ecological fitness of many aquatic species. Despite an increasing interest in behavioral testing in aquatic ecotoxicology there is, however, a notable gap in understanding of the neurophysiological foundations responsible for the altered behavioral phenotypes. One of the canonical approaches to explain the mechanisms of neuro-behavioral changes is functional analysis of neuronal transmission. In aquatic animals it requires, however, invasive, complex, and time-consuming electrophysiology techniques. In this perspective, we highlight emerging prospects of noninvasive, in situ electrophysiology based on multielectrode arrays (MEAs). This technology has only recently been pioneered for the detection and analysis of transient electrical signals in the central nervous system of small model organisms such as zebrafish. The analysis resembles electroencephalography (EEG) applications and provides an appealing strategy for mechanistic explorative studies as well as routine neurotoxicity risk assessment. We outline the prospective future applications and existing challenges of this emerging analytical strategy that is poised to bring new vistas for aquatic ecotoxicology such as greater mechanistic understanding of eco-neurotoxicity and thus more robust risk assessment protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle L Tomasello
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Donald Wlodkowic
- The Neurotox Lab, School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria 3083, Australia
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7
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Tang M, Duan X, Yang A, He S, Zhou Y, Liu Y, Zhang L, Luo X, Shi P, Li H, Lin X. Fish Capsules: A System for High-Throughput Screening of Combinatorial Drugs. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 9:e2104449. [PMID: 35088577 PMCID: PMC8948576 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202104449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Large-scale screening of molecules heavily relies on phenotyping of small living organisms during preclinical development. However, deep profiling candidate therapeutics on whole animals typically requires laborious manipulations and anesthetic treatment using traditional techniques or automated tools. Here, a novel fish capsule system that combines automated zebrafish encapsulating technology and droplet microarray strategy for in vivo functional screening of mono/polytherapies is described. This platform enables automated, rapid zebrafish orientation and immobilization in agarose to generate large-scale fish capsules by using a microfluidic device. Based on the effect of discontinuous dewetting, the prompt trapping of fish capsules in the aqueous arrays is successfully demonstrate. This system provides the capability to integrate pharmaceutical treatments with real-time multispectral microscopic imaging in a simple, pipetting-free and highly parallel manner. Coupling with machine learning algorithms, a small library of compounds is screened and analyzed, and clues about how to exploit compound combinations as therapeutic candidates are obtained. It is believed that this proposed strategy can be readily applied to multiple fields and is especially useful in the exploration of combinatorial drugs with limited amounts of samples and resources to accelerate the identification of novel therapeutics for precision medicines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minghui Tang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Sensor Technology and Biomedical InstrumentSchool of Biomedical EngineeringSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510006China
| | - Xin Duan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Sensor Technology and Biomedical InstrumentSchool of Biomedical EngineeringSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510006China
| | - Anqi Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Sensor Technology and Biomedical InstrumentSchool of Biomedical EngineeringSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510006China
| | - Shijie He
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Sensor Technology and Biomedical InstrumentSchool of Biomedical EngineeringSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510006China
| | - Yajing Zhou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Sensor Technology and Biomedical InstrumentSchool of Biomedical EngineeringSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510006China
| | - Yuxin Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Sensor Technology and Biomedical InstrumentSchool of Biomedical EngineeringSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510006China
| | - Lu Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Sensor Technology and Biomedical InstrumentSchool of Biomedical EngineeringSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510006China
| | - Xuan Luo
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringCity University of Hong KongKowloonHong Kong SAR999077China
- Shenzhen Research InstituteCity University of Hong KongShenzhenGuangdong523808China
| | - Peng Shi
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringCity University of Hong KongKowloonHong Kong SAR999077China
- Shenzhen Research InstituteCity University of Hong KongShenzhenGuangdong523808China
| | - Honglin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor EngineeringShanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug DesignSchool of PharmacyEast China University of Science and TechnologyShanghai200237China
| | - Xudong Lin
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Sensor Technology and Biomedical InstrumentSchool of Biomedical EngineeringSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510006China
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Khalili A, van Wijngaarden E, Youssef K, Zoidl GR, Rezai P. Microfluidic devices for behavioral screening of multiple Zebrafish Larvae: Design investigation process. Biotechnol J 2021; 17:e2100076. [PMID: 34480402 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202100076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Microfluidic devices have been introduced for phenotypic screening of zebrafish larvae in both fundamental and pre-clinical research. One of the remaining challenges for the broad use of microfluidic devices is their limited throughput, especially in behavioural assays. Previously, we introduced the tail locomotion of a semi-mobile zebrafish larva evoked on-demand with electric signal in a microfluidic device. Here, we report the lessons learned for increasing the number of specimens from one to four larvae in this device. Multiple parameters including loading and testing time per fish and loading and orientation efficiencies were refined to optimize the performance of modified designs. Simulations of the flow and electric field within the final device provided insight into the flow behavior and functionality of traps when compared to previous single-larva devices. Outcomes led to a new design which decreased the testing time per larva by approximately 60%. Further, loading and orientation efficiencies increased by more than 80%. Critical behavioural parameters such as response duration and tail beat frequency were similar in both single and quadruple-fish devices. The developed microfluidic device has significant advantages for greater throughput and efficiency when behavioral phenotyping is required in various applications, including chemical testing in toxicology and gene screening. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arezoo Khalili
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Khaled Youssef
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Georg R Zoidl
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Pouya Rezai
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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9
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Zhang G, Yu X, Huang G, Lei D, Tong M. An improved automated zebrafish larva high-throughput imaging system. Comput Biol Med 2021; 136:104702. [PMID: 34352455 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2021.104702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
As a typical multicellular model organism, the zebrafish has been increasingly used in biological research. Despite the efforts to develop automated zebrafish larva imaging systems, existing ones are still defective in terms of reliability and automation. This paper presents an improved zebrafish larva high-throughput imaging system, which makes improvements to the existing designs in the following aspects. Firstly, a single larva extraction strategy is developed to make larva loading more reliable. The aggregated larvae are identified, classified by their numbers and patterns, and separated by the aspiration pipette or water stream. Secondly, the dynamic model of larva motion in the capillary is established and an adaptive robust controller is designed for decelerating the fast-moving larva to ensure the survival rate. Thirdly, rotating the larva to the desired orientation is automated by developing an algorithm to estimate the larva's initial rotation angle. For validating the improved larva imaging system, a real-time heart rate monitoring experiment is conducted as an application example. Experimental results demonstrate that the goals of the improvements have been achieved. With these improvements, the improved zebrafish larva imaging system remarkably reduces human intervention and increases the efficiency and success/survival rates of larva imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gefei Zhang
- Research Institute of Intelligent Control and Systems, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Xinghu Yu
- Research Institute of Intelligent Control and Systems, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China; Ningbo Institute of Intelligent Equipment Technology Co. Ltd., Ningbo, China
| | - Gang Huang
- Research Institute of Intelligent Control and Systems, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Dongxu Lei
- Research Institute of Intelligent Control and Systems, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Mingsi Tong
- Research Institute of Intelligent Control and Systems, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China.
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10
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Subendran S, Wang YC, Lu YH, Chen CY. The evaluation of zebrafish cardiovascular and behavioral functions through microfluidics. Sci Rep 2021; 11:13801. [PMID: 34226579 PMCID: PMC8257654 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-93078-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
This study proposed a new experimental approach for the vascular and phenotype evaluation of the non-anesthetized zebrafish with representative imaging orientations for heart, pectoral fin beating, and vasculature views by means of the designed microfluidic device through inducing the optomotor response and hydrodynamic pressure control. In order to provide the visual cues for better positioning of zebrafish, computer-animated moving grids were generated by an in-house control interface which was powered by the larval optomotor response, in conjunction with the pressure suction control. The presented platform provided a comprehensive evaluation of internal circulation and the linked external behaviors of zebrafish in response to the cardiovascular parameter changes. The insights from these imaging sections was extended to identify the linkage between the cardiac parameters and behavioral endpoints. In addition, selected chemicals such as ethanol and caffeine were employed for the treatment of zebrafish. The obtained findings can be applicable for future investigation in behavioral drug screening serving as the forefront in psychopharmacological and cognition research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satishkumar Subendran
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, No. 1 University Road, Tainan, 701, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chieh Wang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, No. 1 University Road, Tainan, 701, Taiwan
| | - Yueh-Hsun Lu
- Department of Radiology, Shuang-Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, 235, Taiwan
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 110, Taiwan
- Department of Radiology, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, 112, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Yuan Chen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, No. 1 University Road, Tainan, 701, Taiwan.
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11
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Neuroscience Research using Small Animals on a Chip: From Nematodes to Zebrafish Larvae. BIOCHIP JOURNAL 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s13206-021-00012-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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12
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Zhang G, Tong M, Zhuang S, Yu X, Sun W, Lin W, Gao H. Zebrafish Larva Orientation and Smooth Aspiration Control for Microinjection. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 2021; 68:47-55. [DOI: 10.1109/tbme.2020.2999896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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13
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Mani K, Chen CY. A non-invasive acoustic-trapping of zebrafish microfluidics. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2021; 15:014109. [PMID: 33643511 PMCID: PMC7889294 DOI: 10.1063/5.0026916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Zebrafish is an emerging alternative model in behavioral and neurological studies for pharmaceutical applications. However, little is known regarding the effects of noise exposure on laboratory-grown zebrafish. Accordingly, this study commenced by exposing zebrafish embryos to loud background noise (≥200 Hz, 80 ± 10 dB) for five days in a microfluidic environment. The noise exposure was found to affect the larvae hatching rate, larvae length, and swimming performance. A microfluidic platform was then developed for the sorting/trapping of hatched zebrafish larvae using a non-invasive method based on light cues and acoustic actuation. The experimental results showed that the proposed method enabled zebrafish larvae to be transported and sorted into specific chambers of the microchannel network in the desired time frame. The proposed non-invasive trapping method thus has potentially profound applications in drug screening.
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14
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A Microfluidic System for Stable and Continuous EEG Monitoring from Multiple Larval Zebrafish. SENSORS 2020; 20:s20205903. [PMID: 33086704 PMCID: PMC7590171 DOI: 10.3390/s20205903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Along with the increasing popularity of larval zebrafish as an experimental animal in the fields of drug screening, neuroscience, genetics, and developmental biology, the need for tools to deal with multiple larvae has emerged. Microfluidic channels have been employed to handle multiple larvae simultaneously, even for sensing electroencephalogram (EEG). In this study, we developed a microfluidic chip capable of uniform and continuous drug infusion across all microfluidic channels during EEG recording. Owing to the modular design of the microfluidic channels, the number of animals under investigation can be easily increased. Using the optimized design of the microfluidic chip, liquids could be exchanged uniformly across all channels without physically affecting the larvae contained in the channels, which assured a stable environment maintained all the time during EEG recording, by eliminating environmental artifacts and leaving only biological effects to be seen. To demonstrate the usefulness of the developed system in drug screening, we continuously measured EEG from four larvae without and with pentylenetetrazole application, up to 60 min. In addition, we recorded EEG from valproic acid (VPA)-treated zebrafish and demonstrated the suppression of seizure by VPA. The developed microfluidic system could contribute to the mass screening of EEG for drug development to treat neurological disorders such as epilepsy in a short time, owing to its handy size, cheap fabrication cost, and the guaranteed uniform drug infusion across all channels with no environmentally induced artifacts.
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15
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Tomasello DL, Sive H. Noninvasive Multielectrode Array for Brain and Spinal Cord Local Field Potential Recordings from Live Zebrafish Larvae. Zebrafish 2020; 17:271-277. [PMID: 32758083 PMCID: PMC7455471 DOI: 10.1089/zeb.2020.1874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish are an important and expanding experimental system for brain research. We describe a noninvasive electrophysiology technique that can be used in living larvae to measure spontaneous activity in the brain and spinal cord simultaneously. This easy-to-use method uses a commercially available multielectrode array to detect local field potential parameters, and allows for relative coordinated (network) measurements of activity. We demonstrate sensitivity of this system by measuring activity in larvae treated with the antiepileptic drug valproic acid. Valproic acid decreased larval movement and startle response, and decreased spontaneous brain activity. Spinal cord activity did not change after treatment, suggesting valproic acid primarily affects brain function. The observed differences in brain activity, but not spinal cord activity, after valproic acid treatment indicates that brain activity differences are not a secondary effect of decreased startle response and movement. We provide a step-by-step protocol for experiments presented that a novice could easily follow. This electrophysiological method will be useful to the zebrafish neuroscience community.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hazel Sive
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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16
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NeuroExaminer: an all-glass microfluidic device for whole-brain in vivo imaging in zebrafish. Commun Biol 2020; 3:311. [PMID: 32546816 PMCID: PMC7298014 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-1029-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
While microfluidics enables chemical stimuli application with high spatio-temporal precision, light-sheet microscopy allows rapid imaging of entire zebrafish brains with cellular resolution. Both techniques, however, have not been combined to monitor whole-brain neural activity yet. Unlike conventional microfluidics, we report here an all-glass device (NeuroExaminer) that is compatible with whole-brain in vivo imaging using light-sheet microscopy and can thus provide insights into brain function in health and disease. Kai Mattern, Jakob W. von Trotha, et al. develop NeuroExaminer, an all glass device for whole-brain in vivo imaging in zebrafish. The method is based on light-sheet microscopy and microfluidics and provides insights on brain function in live zebrafish.
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Khalili A, Peimani AR, Safarian N, Youssef K, Zoidl G, Rezai P. Phenotypic chemical and mutant screening of zebrafish larvae using an on-demand response to electric stimulation. Integr Biol (Camb) 2020; 11:373-383. [PMID: 31851358 DOI: 10.1093/intbio/zyz031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2019] [Revised: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Behavioral responses of zebrafish larvae to environmental cues are important functional readouts that should be evoked on-demand and studied phenotypically in behavioral, genetical and developmental investigations. Very recently, it was shown that zebrafish larvae execute a voluntary and oriented movement toward the positive electrode of an electric field along a microchannel. Phenotypic characterization of this response was not feasible due to larva's rapid movement along the channel. To overcome this challenge, a microfluidic device was introduced to partially immobilize the larva's head while leaving its mid-body and tail unrestrained in a chamber to image motor behaviors in response to electric stimulation, hence achieving quantitative phenotyping of the electrically evoked movement in zebrafish larvae. The effect of electric current on the tail-beat frequency and response duration of 5-7 days postfertilization zebrafish larvae was studied. Investigations were also performed on zebrafish exposed to neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine and larvae carrying a pannexin1a (panx1a) gene knockout, as a proof of principle applications to demonstrate on-demand movement behavior screening in chemical and mutant assays. We demonstrated for the first time that 6-hydroxydopamine leads to electric response impairment, levodopa treatment rescues the response and panx1a is involved in the electrically evoked movement of zebrafish larvae. We envision that our technique is broadly applicable as a screening tool to quantitatively examine zebrafish larvae's movements in response to physical and chemical stimulations in investigations of Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases, and as a tool to combine recent advances in genome engineering of model organisms to uncover the biology of electric response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arezoo Khalili
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Amir Reza Peimani
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Khaled Youssef
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Georg Zoidl
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Pouya Rezai
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
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18
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Khalili A, Rezai P. Microfluidic devices for embryonic and larval zebrafish studies. Brief Funct Genomics 2019; 18:419-432. [DOI: 10.1093/bfgp/elz006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Revised: 02/09/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Zebrafish or Danio rerio is an established model organism for studying the genetic, neuronal and behavioral bases of diseases and for toxicology and drug screening. The embryonic and larval stages of zebrafish have been used extensively in fundamental and applied research due to advantages offered such as body transparency, small size, low cost of cultivation and high genetic homology with humans. However, the manual experimental methods used for handling and investigating this organism are limited due to their low throughput, labor intensiveness and inaccuracy in delivering external stimuli to the zebrafish while quantifying various neuronal and behavioral responses. Microfluidic and lab-on-a-chip devices have emerged as ideal technologies to overcome these challenges. In this review paper, the current microfluidic approaches for investigation of behavior and neurobiology of zebrafish at embryonic and larval stages will be reviewed. Our focus will be to provide an overview of the microfluidic methods used to manipulate (deliver and orient), immobilize and expose or inject zebrafish embryos or larvae, followed by quantification of their responses in terms of neuron activities and movement. We will also provide our opinion in terms of the direction that the field of zebrafish microfluidics is heading toward in the area of biomedical engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arezoo Khalili
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Pouya Rezai
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Lin X, Duan X, Jacobs C, Ullmann J, Chan CY, Chen S, Cheng SH, Zhao WN, Poduri A, Wang X, Haggarty SJ, Shi P. High-throughput brain activity mapping and machine learning as a foundation for systems neuropharmacology. Nat Commun 2018; 9:5142. [PMID: 30510233 PMCID: PMC6277389 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07289-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Technologies for mapping the spatial and temporal patterns of neural activity have advanced our understanding of brain function in both health and disease. An important application of these technologies is the discovery of next-generation neurotherapeutics for neurological and psychiatric disorders. Here, we describe an in vivo drug screening strategy that combines high-throughput technology to generate large-scale brain activity maps (BAMs) with machine learning for predictive analysis. This platform enables evaluation of compounds’ mechanisms of action and potential therapeutic uses based on information-rich BAMs derived from drug-treated zebrafish larvae. From a screen of clinically used drugs, we found intrinsically coherent drug clusters that are associated with known therapeutic categories. Using BAM-based clusters as a functional classifier, we identify anti-seizure-like drug leads from non-clinical compounds and validate their therapeutic effects in the pentylenetetrazole zebrafish seizure model. Collectively, this study provides a framework to advance the field of systems neuropharmacology. A major goal in neuropharmacology is to develop new tools to effectively test the therapeutic potential of pharmacological agents to treat neurological and psychiatric conditions. Here, authors present an in vivo drug screening system that generates large-scale brain activity maps to be used with machine learning to predict the therapeutic potential of clinically relevant drug leads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xudong Lin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, 999077, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Xin Duan
- Department of Biomedical Science, City University of Hong Kong, 999077, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Claire Jacobs
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Jeremy Ullmann
- Epilepsy Genetics Program and F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Chung-Yuen Chan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, 999077, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Siya Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, 999077, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Shuk-Han Cheng
- Department of Biomedical Science, City University of Hong Kong, 999077, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Wen-Ning Zhao
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Annapurna Poduri
- Epilepsy Genetics Program and F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Biomedical Science, City University of Hong Kong, 999077, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China. .,Shenzhen Research Institute, City University of Hong Kong, 518057, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Stephen J Haggarty
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
| | - Peng Shi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, 999077, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China. .,Shenzhen Research Institute, City University of Hong Kong, 518057, Shenzhen, China.
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20
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Berndt F, Shah G, Power RM, Brugués J, Huisken J. Dynamic and non-contact 3D sample rotation for microscopy. Nat Commun 2018; 9:5025. [PMID: 30487638 PMCID: PMC6261998 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07504-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Precise sample orientation is crucial for microscopy but is often performed with macroscopic tools and low accuracy. In vivo imaging of growing and developing samples even requires dynamic adaptation of the sample orientation to continuously achieve optimal imaging. Here, we present a method for freely positioning a sample in 3D by introducing magnetic beads and applying a magnetic field. We demonstrate magnetic orientation of fixed mouse embryos and artemia, and live zebrafish embryos and larvae on an epi-fluorescence microscope and on a light-sheet system for optimal imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederic Berndt
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstr. 108, 01307, Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Nöthnitzer Str. 38, 01187, Dresden, Germany
- Center for Systems Biology Dresden, Pfotenhauerstr. 108, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Gopi Shah
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstr. 108, 01307, Dresden, Germany
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Carrer del Dr. Aiguader, 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rory M Power
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstr. 108, 01307, Dresden, Germany
- Morgridge Institute for Research, 330 N Orchard St, Madison, WI, 53715, USA
| | - Jan Brugués
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstr. 108, 01307, Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Nöthnitzer Str. 38, 01187, Dresden, Germany
- Center for Systems Biology Dresden, Pfotenhauerstr. 108, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jan Huisken
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstr. 108, 01307, Dresden, Germany.
- Morgridge Institute for Research, 330 N Orchard St, Madison, WI, 53715, USA.
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Paiè P, Martínez Vázquez R, Osellame R, Bragheri F, Bassi A. Microfluidic Based Optical Microscopes on Chip. Cytometry A 2018; 93:987-996. [PMID: 30211977 PMCID: PMC6220811 DOI: 10.1002/cyto.a.23589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2018] [Revised: 07/23/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Last decade's advancements in optofluidics allowed obtaining an ever increasing integration of different functionalities in lab on chip devices to culture, analyze, and manipulate single cells and entire biological specimens. Despite the importance of optical imaging for biological sample monitoring in microfluidics, imaging is traditionally achieved by placing microfluidics channels in standard bench-top optical microscopes. Recently, the development of either integrated optical elements or lensless imaging methods allowed optical imaging techniques to be implemented in lab on chip systems, thus increasing their automation, compactness, and portability. In this review, we discuss known solutions to implement microscopes on chip that exploit different optical methods such as bright-field, phase contrast, holographic, and fluorescence microscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Paiè
- Istituto di Fotonica e NanotecnologieConsiglio Nazionale dell RicerchePiazza Leonardo da Vinci 3220133 MilanItaly
| | - Rebeca Martínez Vázquez
- Istituto di Fotonica e NanotecnologieConsiglio Nazionale dell RicerchePiazza Leonardo da Vinci 3220133 MilanItaly
| | - Roberto Osellame
- Istituto di Fotonica e NanotecnologieConsiglio Nazionale dell RicerchePiazza Leonardo da Vinci 3220133 MilanItaly
- Dipartimento di FisicaPolitecnico di MilanoPiazza Leonardo da Vinci 3220133 MilanItaly
| | - Francesca Bragheri
- Istituto di Fotonica e NanotecnologieConsiglio Nazionale dell RicerchePiazza Leonardo da Vinci 3220133 MilanItaly
| | - Andrea Bassi
- Istituto di Fotonica e NanotecnologieConsiglio Nazionale dell RicerchePiazza Leonardo da Vinci 3220133 MilanItaly
- Dipartimento di FisicaPolitecnico di MilanoPiazza Leonardo da Vinci 3220133 MilanItaly
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22
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Mani K, Hsieh YC, Panigrahi B, Chen CY. A noninvasive light driven technique integrated microfluidics for zebrafish larvae transportation. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2018; 12:021101. [PMID: 30867853 PMCID: PMC6404953 DOI: 10.1063/1.5027014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Transferring the zebrafish larvae on an imaging platform has long been performed manually by the use of forceps or through mechanical pumping. These methods induce detrimental damages to the fragile bodies of zebrafish larvae during the transportation. To address this issue, in this work we are devising a light driven technique to transport zebrafish larvae within a microfluidic environment. In particular, an optomotor behavioral response of the zebrafish larvae was controlled through the computer animated moving gratings for their transportation within a microfluidics chamber. It was observed that with an optimum grating frequency of 1.5 Hz and a grating width ratio of 1:1, a 5 days-post fertilization zebrafish larva can be transported within minimum and maximum time periods of 0.63 and 2.49 s, respectively. This proposed technique can be utilized towards multi-automatic transportation of zebrafish larvae within the microfluidic environment as well as the zebrafish core facility.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Chia-Yuan Chen
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: . Telephone: +886-2757575-62169. Fax: +886-2352973
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23
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Peimani AR, Zoidl G, Rezai P. A microfluidic device to study electrotaxis and dopaminergic system of zebrafish larvae. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2018; 12:014113. [PMID: 29464011 PMCID: PMC5803004 DOI: 10.1063/1.5016381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2017] [Accepted: 01/25/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The zebrafish is a lower vertebrate model organism offering multiple applications for both fundamental and biomedical research into the nervous system from genes to behaviour. Investigation of zebrafish larvae's movement in response to various stimuli, which involves the dopaminergic system, is of interest in the field of sensory-motor integration. Nevertheless, the conventional methods of movement screening in Petri dishes and multi-well plates are mostly qualitative, uncontrollable, and inaccurate in terms of stimulus delivery and response analysis. We recently presented a microfluidic device built as a versatile platform for fluid flow stimulation and high speed time-lapse imaging of rheotaxis behaviour of zebrafish larvae. Here, we describe for the first time that this microfluidic device can also be used to test zebrafish larvae's sense of the electric field and electrotaxis in a systemic manner. We further show that electrotaxis is correlated with the dopamine signalling pathway in a time of day dependent manner and by selectively involving the D2-like dopamine receptors. The primary outcomes of this research opens avenues to study the molecular and physiological basis of electrotaxis, the effects of known agonist and antagonist compounds on the dopaminergic system, and the screen of novel pharmacological tools in the context of neurodegenerative disorders. We propose that this microfluidic device has broad application potential, including the investigation of complex stimuli, biological pathways, behaviors, and brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Reza Peimani
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, York University, Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Georg Zoidl
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Pouya Rezai
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, York University, Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3, Canada
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24
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Miniaturized Sensors and Actuators for Biological Studies on Small Model Organisms of Disease. ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT, AND SUSTAINABILITY 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/978-981-10-7751-7_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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25
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Ellett F, Irimia D. Microstructured Devices for Optimized Microinjection and Imaging of Zebrafish Larvae. J Vis Exp 2017. [PMID: 29286475 DOI: 10.3791/56498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish have emerged as a powerful model of various human diseases and a useful tool for an increasing range of experimental studies, spanning fundamental developmental biology through to large-scale genetic and chemical screens. However, many experiments, especially those related to infection and xenograft models, rely on microinjection and imaging of embryos and larvae, which are laborious techniques that require skill and expertise. To improve the precision and throughput of current microinjection techniques, we developed a series of microstructured devices to orient and stabilize zebrafish embryos at 2 days post fertilization (dpf) in ventral, dorsal, or lateral orientation prior to the procedure. To aid in the imaging of embryos, we also designed a simple device with channels that orient 4 zebrafish laterally in parallel against a glass cover slip. Together, the tools that we present here demonstrate the effectiveness of photolithographic approaches to generate useful devices for the optimization of zebrafish techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Ellett
- BioMEMS Resource Center, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital-Harvard Medical School-Shriners Burns Hospital;
| | - Daniel Irimia
- BioMEMS Resource Center, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital-Harvard Medical School-Shriners Burns Hospital
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26
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Optical mapping of neuronal activity during seizures in zebrafish. Sci Rep 2017; 7:3025. [PMID: 28596596 PMCID: PMC5465210 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-03087-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2016] [Accepted: 04/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Mapping neuronal activity during the onset and propagation of epileptic seizures can provide a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying this pathology and improve our approaches to the development of new drugs. Recently, zebrafish has become an important model for studying epilepsy both in basic research and in drug discovery. Here, we employed a transgenic line with pan-neuronal expression of the genetically-encoded calcium indicator GCaMP6s to measure neuronal activity in zebrafish larvae during seizures induced by pentylenetretrazole (PTZ). With this approach, we mapped neuronal activity in different areas of the larval brain, demonstrating the high sensitivity of this method to different levels of alteration, as induced by increasing PTZ concentrations, and the rescuing effect of an anti-epileptic drug. We also present simultaneous measurements of brain and locomotor activity, as well as a high-throughput assay, demonstrating that GCaMP measurements can complement behavioural assays for the detection of subclinical epileptic seizures, thus enabling future investigations on human hypomorphic mutations and more effective drug screening methods. Notably, the methodology described here can be easily applied to the study of many human neuropathologies modelled in zebrafish, allowing a simple and yet detailed investigation of brain activity alterations associated with the pathological phenotype.
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27
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Li W, Xu Z, Xu B, Chan CY, Lin X, Wang Y, Chen G, Wang Z, Yuan Q, Zhu G, Sun H, Wu W, Shi P. Investigation of the Subcellular Neurotoxicity of Amyloid-β Using a Device Integrating Microfluidic Perfusion and Chemotactic Guidance. Adv Healthc Mater 2017; 6. [PMID: 28121396 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201600895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2016] [Revised: 11/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder with the histopathological hallmark of extracellular accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide in brain senile plaques. Though many studies have shown the neural toxicity from various forms of Aβ peptides, the subcellular mechanisms of Aβ peptide are still not well understood, partially due to the technical challenges of isolating axons or dendrites from the cell body for localized investigation. In this study, the subcellular toxicity and localization of Aβ peptides are investigated by utilizing a microfluidic compartmentalized device, which combines physical restriction and chemotactic guidance to enable the isolation of axons and dendrites for localized pharmacological studies. It is found that Aβ peptides induced neuronal death is mostly resulted from Aβ treatment at cell body or axonal processes, but not at dendritic neurites. Simply applying Aβ to axons alone induces significant hyperactive spiking activity. Dynamic transport of Aβ aggregates is only observed between axon terminal and cell body. In addition to differential cellular uptake, more Aβ-peptide secretion is detected significantly from axons than from dendritic side. These results clearly demonstrate the existence of a localized mechanism in Aβ-induced neurotoxicity, and can potentially benefit the development of new therapeutic strategies for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Li
- Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering; City University of Hong Kong; 83 Tat Chee Ave Kowloon Hong Kong SAR 999077 China
| | - Zhen Xu
- Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering; City University of Hong Kong; 83 Tat Chee Ave Kowloon Hong Kong SAR 999077 China
| | - Bingzhe Xu
- Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering; City University of Hong Kong; 83 Tat Chee Ave Kowloon Hong Kong SAR 999077 China
| | - Chung Yuen Chan
- Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering; City University of Hong Kong; 83 Tat Chee Ave Kowloon Hong Kong SAR 999077 China
| | - Xudong Lin
- Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering; City University of Hong Kong; 83 Tat Chee Ave Kowloon Hong Kong SAR 999077 China
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering; City University of Hong Kong; 83 Tat Chee Ave Kowloon Hong Kong SAR 999077 China
| | - Ganchao Chen
- Department of Biology and Chemistry; City University of Hong Kong; 83 Tat Chee Ave Kowloon Hong Kong SAR 999077 China
| | - Zhigang Wang
- Department of Biology and Chemistry; City University of Hong Kong; 83 Tat Chee Ave Kowloon Hong Kong SAR 999077 China
| | - Qiuju Yuan
- School of Chinese Medicine; Faculty of Science; The Chinese University of Hong Kong; Shatin, Hong Kong SAR 999077 China
| | - Guangyu Zhu
- Department of Biology and Chemistry; City University of Hong Kong; 83 Tat Chee Ave Kowloon Hong Kong SAR 999077 China
| | - Hongyan Sun
- Department of Biology and Chemistry; City University of Hong Kong; 83 Tat Chee Ave Kowloon Hong Kong SAR 999077 China
| | - Wutian Wu
- Department of Anatomy; The University of Hong Kong; 21 Sassoon Road Hong Kong SAR 999077 China
| | - Peng Shi
- Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering; City University of Hong Kong; 83 Tat Chee Ave Kowloon Hong Kong SAR 999077 China
- Shenzhen Research Institute; City University of Hong Kong; Shenzhen 518057 P. R. China
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28
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Khalid N, Kobayashi I, Nakajima M. Recent lab-on-chip developments for novel drug discovery. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-SYSTEMS BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2017; 9. [DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2016] [Revised: 12/11/2016] [Accepted: 12/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nauman Khalid
- School of Food and Agricultural Sciences; University of Management and Technology; Lahore Pakistan
- Centre for Chemistry and Biotechnology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences; Deakin University; Waurn Ponds Australia
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences; University of Tsukuba; Tsukuba Japan
| | - Isao Kobayashi
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences; University of Tsukuba; Tsukuba Japan
- Food Research Institute; NARO; Tsukuba Japan
| | - Mitsutoshi Nakajima
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences; University of Tsukuba; Tsukuba Japan
- Food Research Institute; NARO; Tsukuba Japan
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29
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Abstract
Microinjection of zebrafish larvae is an essential technique for delivery of treatments, dyes, microbes, and xenotransplantation into various tissues. Although a number of casts are available to orient embryos at the single-cell stage, no device has been specifically designed to position hatching-stage larvae for microinjection of different tissues. In this study, we present a reusable silicone device consisting of arrayed microstructures, designed to immobilize 2 days postfertilization larvae in lateral, ventral, and dorsal orientations, while providing maximal access to target sites for microinjection. Injection of rhodamine dextran was used to demonstrate the utility of this device for precise microinjection of multiple anatomical targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Ellett
- Department of Surgery, BioMEMS Resource Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Shriners Burns Hospital , Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Daniel Irimia
- Department of Surgery, BioMEMS Resource Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Shriners Burns Hospital , Boston, Massachusetts
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30
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Mani K, Chang Chien TC, Panigrahi B, Chen CY. Manipulation of zebrafish's orientation using artificial cilia in a microchannel with actively adaptive wall design. Sci Rep 2016; 6:36385. [PMID: 27821862 PMCID: PMC5099576 DOI: 10.1038/srep36385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2016] [Accepted: 10/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The zebrafish is a powerful genetic model organism especially in the biomedical chapter for new drug discovery and development. The genetic toolbox which this vertebrate possesses opens a new window to investigate the etiology of human diseases with a high degree genetic similarity. Still, the requirements of laborious and time-consuming of contemporary zebrafish processing assays limit the procedure in carrying out such genetic screen at high throughput. Here, a zebrafish control scheme was initiated which includes the design and validation of a microfluidic platform to significantly increase the throughput and performance of zebrafish larvae manipulation using the concept of artificial cilia actuation. A moving wall design was integrated into this microfluidic platform first time in literature to accommodate zebrafish inside the microchannel from 1 day post-fertilization (dpf) to 6 dpf and can be further extended to 9 dpf for axial orientation control in a rotational range between 0 to 25 degrees at the minimum step of 2-degree increment in a stepwise manner. This moving wall feature was performed through the deflection of shape memory alloy wire embedded inside the microchannel controlled by the electrical waveforms with high accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karthick Mani
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
| | - Tsung-Chun Chang Chien
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
| | - Bivas Panigrahi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Yuan Chen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
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31
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Hong S, Lee P, Baraban SC, Lee LP. A Novel Long-term, Multi-Channel and Non-invasive Electrophysiology Platform for Zebrafish. Sci Rep 2016; 6:28248. [PMID: 27305978 PMCID: PMC4910293 DOI: 10.1038/srep28248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2016] [Accepted: 06/01/2016] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish are a popular vertebrate model for human neurological disorders and drug discovery. Although fecundity, breeding convenience, genetic homology and optical transparency have been key advantages, laborious and invasive procedures are required for electrophysiological studies. Using an electrode-integrated microfluidic system, here we demonstrate a novel multichannel electrophysiology unit to record multiple zebrafish. This platform allows spontaneous alignment of zebrafish and maintains, over days, close contact between head and multiple surface electrodes, enabling non-invasive long-term electroencephalographic recording. First, we demonstrate that electrographic seizure events, induced by pentylenetetrazole, can be reliably distinguished from eye or tail movement artifacts, and quantifiably identified with our unique algorithm. Second, we show long-term monitoring during epileptogenic progression in a scn1lab mutant recapitulating human Dravet syndrome. Third, we provide an example of cross-over pharmacology antiepileptic drug testing. Such promising features of this integrated microfluidic platform will greatly facilitate high-throughput drug screening and electrophysiological characterization of epileptic zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- SoonGweon Hong
- Department of Bioengineering Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.,Berkeley Sensor and Actuator Center, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Philip Lee
- Department of Bioengineering Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Scott C Baraban
- Epilepsy Research Laboratory, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California at San Francisco, USA, CA 94143, USA.,Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California at San Francisco, USA, CA 94143, USA
| | - Luke P Lee
- Department of Bioengineering Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.,Berkeley Sensor and Actuator Center, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.,Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.,Biophysics Graduate Program, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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Chin LK, Lee CH, Chen BC. Imaging live cells at high spatiotemporal resolution for lab-on-a-chip applications. LAB ON A CHIP 2016; 16:2014-24. [PMID: 27121367 DOI: 10.1039/c5lc01556a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Conventional optical imaging techniques are limited by the diffraction limit and difficult-to-image biomolecular and sub-cellular processes in living specimens. Novel optical imaging techniques are constantly evolving with the desire to innovate an imaging tool that is capable of seeing sub-cellular processes in a biological system, especially in three dimensions (3D) over time, i.e. 4D imaging. For fluorescence imaging on live cells, the trade-offs among imaging depth, spatial resolution, temporal resolution and photo-damage are constrained based on the limited photons of the emitters. The fundamental solution to solve this dilemma is to enlarge the photon bank such as the development of photostable and bright fluorophores, leading to the innovation in optical imaging techniques such as super-resolution microscopy and light sheet microscopy. With the synergy of microfluidic technology that is capable of manipulating biological cells and controlling their microenvironments to mimic in vivo physiological environments, studies of sub-cellular processes in various biological systems can be simplified and investigated systematically. In this review, we provide an overview of current state-of-the-art super-resolution and 3D live cell imaging techniques and their lab-on-a-chip applications, and finally discuss future research trends in new and breakthrough research areas of live specimen 4D imaging in controlled 3D microenvironments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lip Ket Chin
- School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 639798, Singapore
| | - Chau-Hwang Lee
- Research Center for Applied Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan. and Institute of Biophotonics, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan and Department of Physics, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10671, Taiwan
| | - Bi-Chang Chen
- Research Center for Applied Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.
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Yang F, Gao C, Wang P, Zhang GJ, Chen Z. Fish-on-a-chip: microfluidics for zebrafish research. LAB ON A CHIP 2016; 16:1106-25. [PMID: 26923141 DOI: 10.1039/c6lc00044d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
High-efficiency zebrafish (embryo) handling platforms are crucially needed to facilitate the deciphering of the increasingly expanding vertebrate-organism model values. However, the manipulation platforms for zebrafish are scarce and rely mainly on the conventional "static" microtiter plates or glass slides with rigid gel, which limits the dynamic, three-dimensional (3D), tissue/organ-oriented information acquisition from the intact larva with normal developmental dynamics. In addition, these routine platforms are not amenable to high-throughput handling of such swimming multicellular biological entities at the single-organism level and incapable of precisely controlling the growth microenvironment by delivering stimuli in a well-defined spatiotemporal fashion. Recently, microfluidics has been developed to address these technical challenges via tailor-engineered microscale structures or structured arrays, which integrate with or interface to functional components (e.g. imaging systems), allowing quantitative readouts of small objects (zebrafish larvae and embryos) under normal physiological conditions. Here, we critically review the recent progress on zebrafish manipulation, imaging and phenotype readouts of external stimuli using these microfluidic tools and discuss the challenges that confront these promising "fish-on-a-chip" technologies. We also provide an outlook on future potential trends in this field by combining with bionanoprobes and biosensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Yang
- School of Laboratory Medicine, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, 1 Huangjia Lake West Road, Wuhan 430065, China.
| | - Chuan Gao
- School of Laboratory Medicine, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, 1 Huangjia Lake West Road, Wuhan 430065, China.
| | - Ping Wang
- School of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, 1 Huangjia Lake West Road, Wuhan 430065, China
| | - Guo-Jun Zhang
- School of Laboratory Medicine, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, 1 Huangjia Lake West Road, Wuhan 430065, China.
| | - Zuanguang Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
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Lin X, Li VWT, Chen S, Chan CY, Cheng SH, Shi P. Autonomous system for cross-organ investigation of ethanol-induced acute response in behaving larval zebrafish. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2016; 10:024123. [PMID: 27158291 PMCID: PMC4833730 DOI: 10.1063/1.4946013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2016] [Accepted: 03/30/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Ethanol is widely consumed and has been associated with various diseases in different organs. It is therefore important to study ethanol-induced responses in living organisms with the capability to address specific organs in an integrative manner. Here, we developed an autonomous system based on a series of microfluidic chips for cross-organ investigation of ethanol-induced acute response in behaving larval zebrafish. This system enabled high-throughput, gel-free, and anesthetic-free manipulation of larvae, and thus allowed real-time observation of behavioral responses, and associated physiological changes at cellular resolution within specific organs in response to acute ethanol stimuli, which would otherwise be impossible by using traditional methods for larva immobilization and orientation. Specifically, three types of chips ("motion," "lateral," and "dorsal"), based on a simple hydrodynamic design, were used to perform analysis in animal behavior, cardiac, and brain physiology, respectively. We found that ethanol affected larval zebrafish in a dose-dependent manner. The motor function of different body parts was significantly modulated by ethanol treatment, especially at a high dose of 3%. These behavioral changes were temporally associated with a slow-down of heart-beating and a stereotyped activation of certain brain regions. As we demonstrated in this proof-of-concept study, this versatile Fish-on-Chip platform could potentially be adopted for systematic cross-organ investigations involving chemical or genetic manipulations in zebrafish model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xudong Lin
- Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Ave., Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong, China
| | - Vincent W T Li
- Department of Biomedical Science, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Ave., Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong, China
| | - Siya Chen
- Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Ave., Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chung-Yuen Chan
- Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Ave., Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong, China
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Levario TJ, Lim B, Shvartsman SY, Lu H. Microfluidics for High-Throughput Quantitative Studies of Early Development. Annu Rev Biomed Eng 2016; 18:285-309. [PMID: 26928208 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-bioeng-100515-013926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Developmental biology has traditionally relied on qualitative analyses; recently, however, as in other fields of biology, researchers have become increasingly interested in acquiring quantitative knowledge about embryogenesis. Advances in fluorescence microscopy are enabling high-content imaging in live specimens. At the same time, microfluidics and automation technologies are increasing experimental throughput for studies of multicellular models of development. Furthermore, computer vision methods for processing and analyzing bioimage data are now leading the way toward quantitative biology. Here, we review advances in the areas of fluorescence microscopy, microfluidics, and data analysis that are instrumental to performing high-content, high-throughput studies in biology and specifically in development. We discuss a case study of how these techniques have allowed quantitative analysis and modeling of pattern formation in the Drosophila embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Levario
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332;
| | - Bomyi Lim
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544;
| | - Stanislav Y Shvartsman
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544;
| | - Hang Lu
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332;
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Microfluidic Organ/Body-on-a-Chip Devices at the Convergence of Biology and Microengineering. SENSORS 2015; 15:31142-70. [PMID: 26690442 PMCID: PMC4721768 DOI: 10.3390/s151229848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2015] [Revised: 11/16/2015] [Accepted: 12/04/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Recent advances in biomedical technologies are mostly related to the convergence of biology with microengineering. For instance, microfluidic devices are now commonly found in most research centers, clinics and hospitals, contributing to more accurate studies and therapies as powerful tools for drug delivery, monitoring of specific analytes, and medical diagnostics. Most remarkably, integration of cellularized constructs within microengineered platforms has enabled the recapitulation of the physiological and pathological conditions of complex tissues and organs. The so-called “organ-on-a-chip” technology, which represents a new avenue in the field of advanced in vitro models, with the potential to revolutionize current approaches to drug screening and toxicology studies. This review aims to highlight recent advances of microfluidic-based devices towards a body-on-a-chip concept, exploring their technology and broad applications in the biomedical field.
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Abstract
Zebrafish larva is a unique model for whole-brain functional imaging and to study sensory-motor integration in the vertebrate brain. To take full advantage of this system, one needs to design sensory environments that can mimic the complex spatiotemporal stimulus patterns experienced by the animal in natural conditions. We report on a novel open-ended microfluidic device that delivers pulses of chemical stimuli to agarose-restrained larvae with near-millisecond switching rate and unprecedented spatial and concentration accuracy and reproducibility. In combination with two-photon calcium imaging and recordings of tail movements, we found that stimuli of opposite hedonic values induced different circuit activity patterns. Moreover, by precisely controlling the duration of the stimulus (50-500 ms), we found that the probability of generating a gustatory-induced behavior is encoded by the number of neurons activated. This device may open new ways to dissect the neural-circuit principles underlying chemosensory perception.
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