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Schulte S, Decker D, Nowduri B, Gries M, Christmann A, Meyszner A, Rabe H, Saumer M, Schäfer KH. Improving morphological and functional properties of enteric neuronal networks in vitro using a novel upside-down culture approach. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2024; 326:G567-G582. [PMID: 38193168 DOI: 10.1152/ajpgi.00170.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
The enteric nervous system (ENS) comprises millions of neurons and glia embedded in the wall of the gastrointestinal tract. It not only controls important functions of the gut but also interacts with the immune system, gut microbiota, and the gut-brain axis, thereby playing a key role in the health and disease of the whole organism. Any disturbance of this intricate system is mirrored in an alteration of electrical functionality, making electrophysiological methods important tools for investigating ENS-related disorders. Microelectrode arrays (MEAs) provide an appropriate noninvasive approach to recording signals from multiple neurons or whole networks simultaneously. However, studying isolated cells of the ENS can be challenging, considering the limited time that these cells can be kept vital in vitro. Therefore, we developed an alternative approach cultivating cells on glass samples with spacers (fabricated by photolithography methods). The spacers allow the cells to grow upside down in a spatially confined environment while enabling acute consecutive recordings of multiple ENS cultures on the same MEA. Upside-down culture also shows beneficial effects on the growth and behavior of enteric neural cultures. The number of dead cells was significantly decreased, and neural networks showed a higher resemblance to the myenteric plexus ex vivo while producing more stable signals than cultures grown in the conventional way. Overall, our results indicate that the upside-down approach not only allows to investigate the impact of neurological diseases in vitro but could also offer insights into the growth and development of the ENS under conditions much closer to the in vivo environment.NEW & NOTEWORTHY In this study, we devised a novel approach for culturing and electrophysiological recording of the enteric nervous system using custom-made glass substrates with spacers. This allows to turn cultures of isolated myenteric plexus upside down, enhancing the use of the microelectrode array technique by allowing recording of multiple cultures consecutively using only one chip. In addition, upside-down culture led to significant improvements in the culture conditions, resulting in a more in vivo-like growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Schulte
- Department of Informatics and Microsystems Technology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Zweibrücken, Germany
| | - Dominique Decker
- Department of Informatics and Microsystems Technology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Zweibrücken, Germany
| | - Bharat Nowduri
- Department of Informatics and Microsystems Technology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Zweibrücken, Germany
| | - Manuela Gries
- Department of Informatics and Microsystems Technology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Zweibrücken, Germany
| | - Anne Christmann
- Department of Informatics and Microsystems Technology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Zweibrücken, Germany
| | - Antoine Meyszner
- Department of Informatics and Microsystems Technology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Zweibrücken, Germany
| | - Holger Rabe
- Department of Informatics and Microsystems Technology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Zweibrücken, Germany
| | - Monika Saumer
- Department of Informatics and Microsystems Technology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Zweibrücken, Germany
| | - Karl-Herbert Schäfer
- Department of Informatics and Microsystems Technology, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Zweibrücken, Germany
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2
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Kuramoto E, Fukushima M, Sendo R, Ohno S, Iwai H, Yamanaka A, Sugimura M, Goto T. Three-dimensional topography of rat trigeminal ganglion neurons using a combination of retrograde labeling and tissue-clearing techniques. J Comp Neurol 2024; 532:e25584. [PMID: 38341648 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
The trigeminal nerve is the sensory afferent of the orofacial regions and divided into three major branches. Cell bodies of the trigeminal nerve lie in the trigeminal ganglion and are surrounded by satellite cells. There is a close interaction between ganglion cells via satellite cells, but the function is not fully understood. In the present study, we clarified the ganglion cells' three-dimensional (3D) localization, which is essential to understand the functions of cell-cell interactions in the trigeminal ganglion. Fast blue was injected into 12 sites of the rat orofacial regions, and ganglion cells were retrogradely labeled. The labeled trigeminal ganglia were cleared by modified 3DISCO, imaged with confocal laser-scanning microscopy, and reconstructed in 3D. Histograms of the major axes of the fast blue-positive somata revealed that the peak major axes of the cells innervating the skin/mucosa were smaller than those of cells innervating the deep structures. Ganglion cells innervating the ophthalmic, maxillary, and mandibular divisions were distributed in the anterodorsal, central, and posterolateral portions of the trigeminal ganglion, respectively, with considerable overlap in the border region. The intermingling in the distribution of ganglion cells within each division was also high, in particular, within the mandibular division. Specifically, intermingling was observed in combinations of tongue and masseter/temporal muscles, maxillary/mandibular molars and masseter/temporal muscles, and tongue and mandibular molars. Double retrograde labeling confirmed that some ganglion cells innervating these combinations were closely apposed. Our data provide essential information for understanding the function of ganglion cell-cell interactions via satellite cells.
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Grants
- JP23H03119 Grants-in-Aid from The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
- JP23K09316 Grants-in-Aid from The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
- JP19K10058 Grants-in-Aid from The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
- JP19K10336 Grants-in-Aid from The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
- JP19KK0419 Grants-in-Aid from The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
- JP22H05162 Grants-in-Aid from The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
- JP22K09916 Grants-in-Aid from The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
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Affiliation(s)
- Eriko Kuramoto
- Department of Oral Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Makoto Fukushima
- Department of Oral Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Ryozo Sendo
- Department of Oral Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
- Department of Dental Anesthesiology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Sachi Ohno
- Department of Dental Anesthesiology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Haruki Iwai
- Department of Oral Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Atsushi Yamanaka
- Department of Oral Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Mitsutaka Sugimura
- Department of Dental Anesthesiology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Goto
- Department of Oral Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
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Yamamoto K, Harada N, Yasuda T, Hatoko T, Wada N, Lu X, Seno Y, Kurihara T, Yamane S, Inagaki N. Intestinal Morphology and Glucose Transporter Gene Expression under a Chronic Intake of High Sucrose. Nutrients 2024; 16:196. [PMID: 38257088 PMCID: PMC10820040 DOI: 10.3390/nu16020196] [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] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Sucrose is a disaccharide that is degraded into fructose and glucose in the small intestine. High-sucrose and high-fructose diets have been reported, using two-dimensional imaging, to alter the intestinal morphology and the expression of genes associated with sugar transport, such as sodium glucose co-transporter 1 (SGLT1), glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2), and glucose transporter 5 (GLUT5). However, it remains unclear how high-fructose and high-sucrose diets affect the expression of sugar transporters and the intestinal morphology in the whole intestine. We investigate the influence of a chronic high-sucrose diet on the expression of the genes associated with sugar transport as well as its effects on the intestinal morphology using 3D imaging. High sucrose was found to increase GLUT2 and GLUT5 mRNA levels without significant changes in the intestinal morphology using 3D imaging. On the other hand, the delay in sucrose absorption by an α-glucosidase inhibitor significantly improved the intestinal morphology and the expression levels of SGLT1, GLUT2, and GLUT5 mRNA in the distal small intestine to levels similar to those in the proximal small intestine, thereby improving glycemic control after both glucose and sucrose loading. These results reveal the effects of chronic high-sugar exposure on glucose absorption and changes in the intestinal morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kana Yamamoto
- Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Norio Harada
- Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Takuma Yasuda
- Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Tomonobu Hatoko
- Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Naoki Wada
- Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Xuejing Lu
- Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Youhei Seno
- Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Takashi Kurihara
- Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Shunsuke Yamane
- Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Nobuya Inagaki
- P.I.I.F. Tazuke-Kofukai Medical Research Institute, Kitano Hospital, Osaka 530-8480, Japan
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Di Natale MR, Hunne B, Stebbing MJ, Wang X, Liu Z, Furness JB. Characterization of neuromuscular transmission and projections of muscle motor neurons in the rat stomach. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2024; 326:G78-G93. [PMID: 37987773 PMCID: PMC11208016 DOI: 10.1152/ajpgi.00194.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
The stomach is the primary reservoir of the gastrointestinal tract, where ingested content is broken down into small particles. Coordinated relaxation and contraction is essential for rhythmic motility and digestion, but how the muscle motor innervation is organized to provide appropriate graded regional control is not established. In this study, we recorded neuromuscular transmission to the circular muscle using intracellular microelectrodes to investigate the spread of the influence of intrinsic motor neurons. In addition, microanatomical investigations of neuronal projections and pharmacological analysis were conducted to investigate neuromuscular relationships. We found that inhibitory neurotransmission to the circular muscle is graded with stimulus strength and circumferential distance from the stimulation site. The influence of inhibitory neurons declined between 1 and 11 mm from the stimulation site. In the antrum, corpus, and fundus, the declines at 11 mm were about 20%, 30%, and 50%, respectively. Stimulation of inhibitory neurons elicited biphasic hyperpolarizing potentials often followed by prolonged depolarizing events in the distal stomach, but only hyperpolarizing events in the proximal stomach. Excitatory neurotransmission influence varied greatly between proximal stomach, where depolarizing events occurred, and distal stomach, where no direct electrical effects in the muscle were observed. Structural studies using microlesion surgeries confirmed a dominant circumferential projection. We conclude that motor neuron influences extend around the gastric circumference, that the effectiveness can be graded by the recruitment of different numbers of motor neuron nerve terminals to finely control gastric motility, and that the ways in which the neurons influence the muscle differ between anatomical regions.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study provides a detailed mapping of nerve transmission to the circular muscle of the different anatomical regions of rat stomach. It shows that excitatory and inhibitory influences extend around the gastric circumference and that there is a summation of neural influence that allows for finely graded control of muscle tension and length. Nerve-mediated electrical events are qualitatively and quantitatively different between regions, for example, excitatory neurons have direct effects on fundus but not antral muscle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine R Di Natale
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Billie Hunne
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Martin J Stebbing
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Xiaokai Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
| | - Zhongming Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
| | - John B Furness
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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Sharkey KA, Mawe GM. The enteric nervous system. Physiol Rev 2023; 103:1487-1564. [PMID: 36521049 PMCID: PMC9970663 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00018.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 58.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Of all the organ systems in the body, the gastrointestinal tract is the most complicated in terms of the numbers of structures involved, each with different functions, and the numbers and types of signaling molecules utilized. The digestion of food and absorption of nutrients, electrolytes, and water occurs in a hostile luminal environment that contains a large and diverse microbiota. At the core of regulatory control of the digestive and defensive functions of the gastrointestinal tract is the enteric nervous system (ENS), a complex system of neurons and glia in the gut wall. In this review, we discuss 1) the intrinsic neural control of gut functions involved in digestion and 2) how the ENS interacts with the immune system, gut microbiota, and epithelium to maintain mucosal defense and barrier function. We highlight developments that have revolutionized our understanding of the physiology and pathophysiology of enteric neural control. These include a new understanding of the molecular architecture of the ENS, the organization and function of enteric motor circuits, and the roles of enteric glia. We explore the transduction of luminal stimuli by enteroendocrine cells, the regulation of intestinal barrier function by enteric neurons and glia, local immune control by the ENS, and the role of the gut microbiota in regulating the structure and function of the ENS. Multifunctional enteric neurons work together with enteric glial cells, macrophages, interstitial cells, and enteroendocrine cells integrating an array of signals to initiate outputs that are precisely regulated in space and time to control digestion and intestinal homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith A Sharkey
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Gary M Mawe
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont
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Hazart D, Delhomme B, Oheim M, Ricard C. Label-free, fast, 2-photon volume imaging of the organization of neurons and glia in the enteric nervous system. Front Neuroanat 2023; 16:1070062. [PMID: 36844894 PMCID: PMC9948619 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2022.1070062] [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: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The enteric nervous system (ENS), sometimes referred to as a "second brain" is a quasi-autonomous nervous system, made up of interconnected plexuses organized in a mesh-like network lining the gastrointestinal tract. Originally described as an actor in the regulation of digestion, bowel contraction, and intestinal secretion, the implications of the ENS in various central neuropathologies has recently been demonstrated. However, with a few exceptions, the morphology and pathologic alterations of the ENS have mostly been studied on thin sections of the intestinal wall or, alternatively, in dissected explants. Precious information on the three-dimensional (3-D) architecture and connectivity is hence lost. Here, we propose the fast, label-free 3-D imaging of the ENS, based on intrinsic signals. We used a custom, fast tissue-clearing protocol based on a high refractive-index aqueous solution to increase the imaging depth and allow us the detection of faint signals and we characterized the autofluorescence (AF) from the various cellular and sub-cellular components of the ENS. Validation by immunofluorescence and spectral recordings complete this groundwork. Then, we demonstrate the rapid acquisition of detailed 3-D image stacks from unlabeled mouse ileum and colon, across the whole intestinal wall and including both the myenteric and submucosal enteric nervous plexuses using a new spinning-disk two-photon (2P) microscope. The combination of fast clearing (less than 15 min for 73% transparency), AF detection and rapid volume imaging [less than 1 min for the acquisition of a z-stack of 100 planes (150*150 μm) at sub-300-nm spatial resolution] opens up the possibility for new applications in fundamental and clinical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doriane Hazart
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Saints-Pères Paris Institute for the Neurosciences, Paris, France
| | - Brigitte Delhomme
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Saints-Pères Paris Institute for the Neurosciences, Paris, France
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An analysis of intestinal morphology and incretin-producing cells using tissue optical clearing and 3-D imaging. Sci Rep 2022; 12:17530. [PMID: 36266531 PMCID: PMC9584944 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22511-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Tissue optical clearing permits detailed evaluation of organ three-dimensional (3-D) structure as well as that of individual cells by tissue staining and autofluorescence. In this study, we evaluated intestinal morphology, intestinal epithelial cells (IECs), and enteroendocrine cells, such as incretin-producing cells, in reporter mice by intestinal 3-D imaging. 3-D intestinal imaging of reporter mice using optical tissue clearing enabled us to evaluate both detailed intestinal morphologies and cell numbers, villus length and crypt depth in the same samples. In disease mouse model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-injected mice, the results of 3-D imaging using tissue optical clearing in this study was consistent with those of 2-D imaging in previous reports and could added the new data of intestinal morphology. In analysis of incretin-producing cells of reporter mice, we could elucidate the number, the percentage, and the localization of incretin-producing cells in intestine and the difference of those between L cells and K cells. Thus, we established a novel method of intestinal analysis using tissue optical clearing and 3-D imaging. 3-D evaluation of intestine enabled us to clarify not only detailed intestinal morphology but also the precise number and localization of IECs and incretin-producing cells in the same samples.
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Morphologies, dimensions and targets of gastric nitric oxide synthase neurons. Cell Tissue Res 2022; 388:19-32. [PMID: 35146560 PMCID: PMC8976817 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-022-03594-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
We investigated the distributions and targets of nitrergic neurons in the rat stomach, using neuronal nitric oxide synthase (NOS) immunohistochemistry and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) diaphorase histochemistry. Nitrergic neurons comprised similar proportions of myenteric neurons, about 30%, in all gastric regions. Small numbers of nitrergic neurons occurred in submucosal ganglia. In total, there were ~ 125,000 neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) neurons in the stomach. The myenteric cell bodies had single axons, type I morphology and a wide range of sizes. Five targets were identified, the longitudinal, circular and oblique layers of the external muscle, the muscularis mucosae and arteries within the gastric wall. The circular and oblique muscle layers had nitrergic fibres throughout their thickness, while the longitudinal muscle was innervated at its inner surface by fibres of the tertiary plexus, a component of the myenteric plexus. There was a very dense innervation of the pyloric sphincter, adjacent to the duodenum. The muscle strands that run between mucosal glands rarely had closely associated nNOS nerve fibres. Both nNOS immunohistochemistry and NADPH histochemistry showed that nitrergic terminals did not provide baskets of terminals around myenteric neurons. Thus, the nitrergic neuron populations in the stomach supply the muscle layers and intramural arteries, but, unlike in the intestine, gastric interneurons do not express nNOS. The large numbers of nNOS neurons and the density of innervation of the circular muscle and pyloric sphincter suggest that there is a finely graded control of motor function in the stomach by the recruitment of different numbers of inhibitory motor neurons.
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El-Nachef WN, Hu C, Bronner ME. Whole gut imaging allows quantification of all enteric neurons in the adult zebrafish intestine. Neurogastroenterol Motil 2022; 34:e14292. [PMID: 34865280 PMCID: PMC8799505 DOI: 10.1111/nmo.14292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A fundamental understanding of the enteric nervous system in normal and diseased states is limited by the lack of standard measures of total enteric neuron number. The adult zebrafish is a useful model in this context as it is amenable to in toto imaging of the intestine. We leveraged this to develop a technique to image and quantify all enteric neurons within the adult zebrafish intestine and applied this method to assess the relationship between intestinal length and total enteric neuron number. METHODS Dissected adult zebrafish intestines were immunostained in wholemount, optically cleared with refractive index-matched solution, and then imaged in tiles using light-sheet microscopy. Imaging software was used to stitch the tiles, and the full image underwent automated cell counting. Total enteric neuron number was assessed in relation to intestinal length using linear regression modeling. KEY RESULTS Whole gut imaging of the adult zebrafish intestine permits the visualization of endogenous and immunohistochemistry-derived fluorescence throughout the intestine. While enteric neuron distribution is heterogeneous between intestinal segments, total enteric neuron number positively correlates with intestinal length. CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES Imaging of all enteric neurons within the adult vertebrate intestine is possible in models such as the zebrafish. In this study, we apply this to demonstrate a positive correlation between enteric neuron number and intestinal length. Quantifying total enteric numbers will facilitate future studies of enteric neuropathies and ENS structure in animal models and potentially in biopsied tissue samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wael N. El-Nachef
- Department of Medicine, Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, University of California Los Angeles,Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology
| | - Claire Hu
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology
| | - Marianne E. Bronner
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology
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Rusch H, Brammerloh M, Stieler J, Sonntag M, Mohammadi S, Weiskopf N, Arendt T, Kirilina E, Morawski M. Finding the best clearing approach - Towards 3D wide-scale multimodal imaging of aged human brain tissue. Neuroimage 2021; 247:118832. [PMID: 34929383 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The accessibility of new wide-scale multimodal imaging techniques led to numerous clearing techniques emerging over the last decade. However, clearing mesoscopic-sized blocks of aged human brain tissue remains an extremely challenging task. Homogenizing refractive indices and reducing light absorption and scattering are the foundation of tissue clearing. Due to its dense and highly myelinated nature, especially in white matter, the human brain poses particular challenges to clearing techniques. Here, we present a comparative study of seven tissue clearing approaches and their impact on aged human brain tissue blocks (> 5 mm). The goal was to identify the most practical and efficient method in regards to macroscopic transparency, brief clearing time, compatibility with immunohistochemical processing and wide-scale multimodal microscopic imaging. We successfully cleared 26 × 26 × 5 mm3-sized human brain samples with two hydrophilic and two hydrophobic clearing techniques. Optical properties as well as light and antibody penetration depths highly vary between these methods. In addition to finding the best clearing approach, we compared three microscopic imaging setups (the Zeiss Laser Scanning Microscope (LSM) 880 , the Miltenyi Biotec Ultramicroscope ll (UM ll) and the 3i Marianas LightSheet microscope) regarding optimal imaging of large-scale tissue samples. We demonstrate that combining the CLARITY technique (Clear Lipid-exchanged Acrylamide-hybridized Rigid Imaging compatible Tissue hYdrogel) with the Zeiss LSM 880 and combining the iDISCO technique (immunolabeling-enabled three-dimensional imaging of solvent-cleared organs) with the Miltenyi Biotec UM ll are the most practical and efficient approaches to sufficiently clear aged human brain tissue and generate 3D microscopic images. Our results point out challenges that arise from seven clearing and three imaging techniques applied to non-standardized tissue samples such as aged human brain tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henriette Rusch
- Paul Flechsig Institute of Brain Research, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Liebigstraße 19, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Malte Brammerloh
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Science, Stephanstraße 1a, Leipzig 04103, Germany; Felix Bloch Institute for Solid State Physics, Faculty of Physics and Earth Sciences, University of Leipzig, Linnéstraße 5, Leipzig 04103, Germany; International Max Planck Research School on Neuroscience of Communication: Function, Structure, and Plasticity, Stephanstraße 1a, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Jens Stieler
- Paul Flechsig Institute of Brain Research, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Liebigstraße 19, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Mandy Sonntag
- Paul Flechsig Institute of Brain Research, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Liebigstraße 19, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Siawoosh Mohammadi
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Science, Stephanstraße 1a, Leipzig 04103, Germany; Institute of Systems Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, Hamburg 20246, Germany
| | - Nikolaus Weiskopf
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Science, Stephanstraße 1a, Leipzig 04103, Germany; Felix Bloch Institute for Solid State Physics, Faculty of Physics and Earth Sciences, University of Leipzig, Linnéstraße 5, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Thomas Arendt
- Paul Flechsig Institute of Brain Research, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Liebigstraße 19, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Evgeniya Kirilina
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Science, Stephanstraße 1a, Leipzig 04103, Germany; Center for Cognitive Neuroscience Berlin, Free University Berlin, Habelschwerdter Allee 45, Berlin 14195, Germany
| | - Markus Morawski
- Paul Flechsig Institute of Brain Research, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Liebigstraße 19, Leipzig 04103, Germany; Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Science, Stephanstraße 1a, Leipzig 04103, Germany.
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Matryba P, Łukasiewicz K, Pawłowska M, Tomczuk J, Gołąb J. Can Developments in Tissue Optical Clearing Aid Super-Resolution Microscopy Imaging? Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22136730. [PMID: 34201632 PMCID: PMC8268743 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22136730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The rapid development of super-resolution microscopy (SRM) techniques opens new avenues to examine cell and tissue details at a nanometer scale. Due to compatibility with specific labelling approaches, in vivo imaging and the relative ease of sample preparation, SRM appears to be a valuable alternative to laborious electron microscopy techniques. SRM, however, is not free from drawbacks, with the rapid quenching of the fluorescence signal, sensitivity to spherical aberrations and light scattering that typically limits imaging depth up to few micrometers being the most pronounced ones. Recently presented and robustly optimized sets of tissue optical clearing (TOC) techniques turn biological specimens transparent, which greatly increases the tissue thickness that is available for imaging without loss of resolution. Hence, SRM and TOC are naturally synergistic techniques, and a proper combination of these might promptly reveal the three-dimensional structure of entire organs with nanometer resolution. As such, an effort to introduce large-scale volumetric SRM has already started; in this review, we discuss TOC approaches that might be favorable during the preparation of SRM samples. Thus, special emphasis is put on TOC methods that enhance the preservation of fluorescence intensity, offer the homogenous distribution of molecular probes, and vastly decrease spherical aberrations. Finally, we review examples of studies in which both SRM and TOC were successfully applied to study biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paweł Matryba
- Department of Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; (J.T.); (J.G.)
- The Doctoral School of the Medical University of Warsaw, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, BRAINCITY, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland;
- Correspondence:
| | - Kacper Łukasiewicz
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA;
| | - Monika Pawłowska
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, BRAINCITY, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland;
- Institute of Experimental Physics, Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jacek Tomczuk
- Department of Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; (J.T.); (J.G.)
| | - Jakub Gołąb
- Department of Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; (J.T.); (J.G.)
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12
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Gries M, Christmann A, Schulte S, Weyland M, Rommel S, Martin M, Baller M, Röth R, Schmitteckert S, Unger M, Liu Y, Sommer F, Mühlhaus T, Schroda M, Timmermans JP, Pintelon I, Rappold GA, Britschgi M, Lashuel H, Menger MD, Laschke MW, Niesler B, Schäfer KH. Parkinson mice show functional and molecular changes in the gut long before motoric disease onset. Mol Neurodegener 2021; 16:34. [PMID: 34078425 PMCID: PMC8170976 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-021-00439-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is increasing evidence that Parkinson's disease (PD) might start in the gut, thus involving and compromising also the enteric nervous system (ENS). At the clinical onset of the disease the majority of dopaminergic neurons in the midbrain is already destroyed, so that the lack of early biomarkers for the disease represents a major challenge for developing timely treatment interventions. Here, we use a transgenic A30P-α-synuclein-overexpressing PD mouse model to identify appropriate candidate markers in the gut before hallmark symptoms begin to manifest. METHODS Based on a gait analysis and striatal dopamine levels, we defined 2-month-old A30P mice as pre-symptomatic (psA30P), since they are not showing any motoric impairments of the skeletal neuromuscular system and no reduced dopamine levels, but an intestinal α-synuclein pathology. Mice at this particular age were further used to analyze functional and molecular alterations in both, the gastrointestinal tract and the ENS, to identify early pathological changes. We examined the gastrointestinal motility, the molecular composition of the ENS, as well as the expression of regulating miRNAs. Moreover, we applied A30P-α-synuclein challenges in vitro to simulate PD in the ENS. RESULTS A retarded gut motility and early molecular dysregulations were found in the myenteric plexus of psA30P mice. We found that i.e. neurofilament light chain, vesicle-associated membrane protein 2 and calbindin 2, together with the miRNAs that regulate them, are significantly altered in the psA30P, thus representing potential biomarkers for early PD. Many of the dysregulated miRNAs found in the psA30P mice are reported to be changed in PD patients as well, either in blood, cerebrospinal fluid or brain tissue. Interestingly, the in vitro approaches delivered similar changes in the ENS cultures as seen in the transgenic animals, thus confirming the data from the mouse model. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide an interesting and novel approach for the identification of appropriate biomarkers in men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Gries
- Department of Informatics and Microsystems and Technology, University of Applied Science Kaiserslautern, Working Group Enteric Nervous System, 66482, Zweibrücken, Germany
| | - Anne Christmann
- Department of Informatics and Microsystems and Technology, University of Applied Science Kaiserslautern, Working Group Enteric Nervous System, 66482, Zweibrücken, Germany
| | - Steven Schulte
- Department of Informatics and Microsystems and Technology, University of Applied Science Kaiserslautern, Working Group Enteric Nervous System, 66482, Zweibrücken, Germany
| | - Maximilian Weyland
- Department of Informatics and Microsystems and Technology, University of Applied Science Kaiserslautern, Working Group Enteric Nervous System, 66482, Zweibrücken, Germany
| | - Stephanie Rommel
- Department of Informatics and Microsystems and Technology, University of Applied Science Kaiserslautern, Working Group Enteric Nervous System, 66482, Zweibrücken, Germany
| | - Monika Martin
- Department of Informatics and Microsystems and Technology, University of Applied Science Kaiserslautern, Working Group Enteric Nervous System, 66482, Zweibrücken, Germany
| | - Marko Baller
- Department of Informatics and Microsystems and Technology, University of Applied Science Kaiserslautern, Working Group Enteric Nervous System, 66482, Zweibrücken, Germany
| | - Ralph Röth
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics, University of Heidelberg, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stefanie Schmitteckert
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics, University of Heidelberg, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marcus Unger
- Department of Neurology, Saarland University, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Neurology, Saarland University, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Frederik Sommer
- Molecular Biotechnology and Systems Biology, University of Kaiserslautern, 67663, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Timo Mühlhaus
- Computational Systems Biology, University of Kaiserslautern, 67663, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Michael Schroda
- Molecular Biotechnology and Systems Biology, University of Kaiserslautern, 67663, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Jean-Pierre Timmermans
- Laboratory of Cell Biology and Histology, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Isabel Pintelon
- Laboratory of Cell Biology and Histology, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Gudrun A Rappold
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics, University of Heidelberg, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Interdisciplinary Center of Neuroscience, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Markus Britschgi
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Neuroscience and Rare Diseases Discovery and Translational Medicine Area, Neuroscience Discovery, Roche Innovation Center Basel, 4070, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Hilal Lashuel
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Michael D Menger
- Institute for Clinical & Experimental Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Saarland University, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Matthias W Laschke
- Institute for Clinical & Experimental Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Saarland University, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Beate Niesler
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics, University of Heidelberg, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Karl-Herbert Schäfer
- Department of Informatics and Microsystems and Technology, University of Applied Science Kaiserslautern, Working Group Enteric Nervous System, 66482, Zweibrücken, Germany.
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, 68167, Mannheim, Germany.
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13
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Huang Q, Garrett A, Bose S, Blocker S, Rios AC, Clevers H, Shen X. The frontier of live tissue imaging across space and time. Cell Stem Cell 2021; 28:603-622. [PMID: 33798422 PMCID: PMC8034393 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2021.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
What you see is what you get-imaging techniques have long been essential for visualization and understanding of tissue development, homeostasis, and regeneration, which are driven by stem cell self-renewal and differentiation. Advances in molecular and tissue modeling techniques in the last decade are providing new imaging modalities to explore tissue heterogeneity and plasticity. Here we describe current state-of-the-art imaging modalities for tissue research at multiple scales, with a focus on explaining key tradeoffs such as spatial resolution, penetration depth, capture time/frequency, and moieties. We explore emerging tissue modeling and molecular tools that improve resolution, specificity, and throughput.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Huang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710004 Shaanxi, China; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Aliesha Garrett
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Shree Bose
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Stephanie Blocker
- Center for In Vitro Microscopy, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Anne C Rios
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht 3584, the Netherlands; Department of Cancer Research, Oncode Institute, Hubrecht Institute-KNAW Utrecht, Utrecht 3584, the Netherlands
| | - Hans Clevers
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht 3584, the Netherlands; Department of Cancer Research, Oncode Institute, Hubrecht Institute-KNAW Utrecht, Utrecht 3584, the Netherlands; Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and University Medical Center (UMC) Utrecht, Utrecht 3584, the Netherlands
| | - Xiling Shen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
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14
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Young DM, Fazel Darbandi S, Schwartz G, Bonzell Z, Yuruk D, Nojima M, Gole LC, Rubenstein JL, Yu W, Sanders SJ. Constructing and optimizing 3D atlases from 2D data with application to the developing mouse brain. eLife 2021; 10:61408. [PMID: 33570495 PMCID: PMC7994002 DOI: 10.7554/elife.61408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
3D imaging data necessitate 3D reference atlases for accurate quantitative interpretation. Existing computational methods to generate 3D atlases from 2D-derived atlases result in extensive artifacts, while manual curation approaches are labor-intensive. We present a computational approach for 3D atlas construction that substantially reduces artifacts by identifying anatomical boundaries in the underlying imaging data and using these to guide 3D transformation. Anatomical boundaries also allow extension of atlases to complete edge regions. Applying these methods to the eight developmental stages in the Allen Developing Mouse Brain Atlas (ADMBA) led to more comprehensive and accurate atlases. We generated imaging data from 15 whole mouse brains to validate atlas performance and observed qualitative and quantitative improvement (37% greater alignment between atlas and anatomical boundaries). We provide the pipeline as the MagellanMapper software and the eight 3D reconstructed ADMBA atlases. These resources facilitate whole-organ quantitative analysis between samples and across development. The research community needs precise, reliable 3D atlases of organs to pinpoint where biological structures and processes are located. For instance, these maps are essential to understand where specific genes are turned on or off, or the spatial organization of various groups of cells over time. For centuries, atlases have been built by thinly ‘slicing up’ an organ, and then precisely representing each 2D layer. Yet this approach is imperfect: each layer may be accurate on its own, but inevitable mismatches appear between the slices when viewed in 3D or from another angle. Advances in microscopy now allow entire organs to be imaged in 3D. Comparing these images with atlases could help to detect subtle differences that indicate or underlie disease. However, this is only possible if 3D maps are accurate and do not feature mismatches between layers. To create an atlas without such artifacts, one approach consists in starting from scratch and manually redrawing the maps in 3D, a labor-intensive method that discards a large body of well-established atlases. Instead, Young et al. set out to create an automated method which could help to refine existing ‘layer-based’ atlases, releasing software that anyone can use to improve current maps. The package was created by harnessing eight atlases in the Allen Developing Mouse Brain Atlas, and then using the underlying anatomical images to resolve discrepancies between layers or fill out any missing areas. Known as MagellanMapper, the software was extensively tested to demonstrate the accuracy of the maps it creates, including comparison to whole-brain imaging data from 15 mouse brains. Armed with this new software, researchers can improve the accuracy of their atlases, helping them to understand the structure of organs at the level of the cell and giving them insight into a broad range of human disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Young
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Siavash Fazel Darbandi
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Grace Schwartz
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Zachary Bonzell
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Deniz Yuruk
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Mai Nojima
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Laurent C Gole
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - John Lr Rubenstein
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Weimiao Yu
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Stephan J Sanders
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
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15
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Liu CY, Polk DB. Cellular maps of gastrointestinal organs: getting the most from tissue clearing. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2020; 319:G1-G10. [PMID: 32421359 PMCID: PMC7468759 DOI: 10.1152/ajpgi.00075.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The development of modern methods to induce optical transparency ("clearing") in biological tissues has enabled the three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of intact organs at cellular resolution. New capabilities in visualization of rare cellular events, long-range interactions, and irregular structures will facilitate novel studies in the alimentary tract and gastrointestinal systems. The tubular geometry of the alimentary tract facilitates large-scale cellular reconstruction of cleared tissue without specialized microscopy setups. However, with the rapid pace of development of clearing agents and current relative paucity of research groups in the gastrointestinal field using these techniques, it can be daunting to incorporate tissue clearing into experimental workflows. Here, we give some advice and describe our own experience bringing tissue clearing and whole mount reconstruction into our laboratory's investigations. We present a brief overview of the chemical concepts that underpin tissue clearing, what sorts of questions whole mount imaging can answer, how to choose a clearing agent, an example of how to clear and image alimentary tissue, and what to do after obtaining the image. This short review will encourage other gastrointestinal researchers to consider how utilizing tissue clearing and creating 3D "maps" of tissue might deepen the impact of their studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cambrian Y. Liu
- 1Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Saban Research Institute Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - D. Brent Polk
- 1Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Saban Research Institute Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California,2Department of Pediatrics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California Los Angeles, California
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16
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Perrotta P, Pintelon I, de Vries MR, Quax PHA, Timmermans JP, De Meyer GRY, Martinet W. Three-Dimensional Imaging of Intraplaque Neovascularization in a Mouse Model of Advanced Atherosclerosis. J Vasc Res 2020; 57:348-354. [PMID: 32610324 DOI: 10.1159/000508449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple lines of evidence suggest that intraplaque (IP) neovascularization promotes atherosclerotic plaque growth, destabilization, and rupture. However, pharmacological inhibition of IP neovascularization remains largely unexplored due to the limited number of animal models that develop IP neovessels and the lack of reliable methods for visualizing IP angiogenesis. Here, we applied 3D confocal microscopy with an optimized tissue-clearing process, immunolabeling-enabled three-dimensional imaging of solvent-cleared organs, to visualize IP neovessels in apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE-/-) mice carrying a heterozygous mutation (C1039+/-) in the fibrillin-1 gene. Unlike regular ApoE-/- mice, this mouse model is characterized by the presence of advanced plaques with evident IP neovascularization. Plaques were stained with antibodies against endothelial marker CD31 for 3 days, followed by incubation with fluorescently labeled secondary antibodies. Subsequent tissue clearing with dichloromethane (DCM)/methanol, DCM, and dibenzyl ether allowed easy visualization and 3D reconstruction of the IP vascular network while plaque morphology remained intact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Perrotta
- Laboratory of Physiopharmacology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Isabel Pintelon
- Laboratory of Cell Biology and Histology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Margreet R de Vries
- Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Paul H A Quax
- Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Guido R Y De Meyer
- Laboratory of Physiopharmacology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Wim Martinet
- Laboratory of Physiopharmacology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium,
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17
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Marr N, Hopkinson M, Hibbert AP, Pitsillides AA, Thorpe CT. Bimodal Whole-Mount Imaging of Tendon Using Confocal Microscopy and X-ray Micro-Computed Tomography. Biol Proced Online 2020; 22:13. [PMID: 32624710 PMCID: PMC7329428 DOI: 10.1186/s12575-020-00126-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Three-dimensional imaging modalities for optically dense connective tissues such as tendons are limited and typically have a single imaging methodological endpoint. Here, we have developed a bimodal procedure utilising fluorescence-based confocal microscopy and x-ray micro-computed tomography for the imaging of adult tendons to visualise and analyse extracellular sub-structure and cellular composition in small and large animal species. Results Using fluorescent immunolabelling and optical clearing, we visualised the expression of the novel cross-species marker of tendon basement membrane, laminin-α4 in 3D throughout whole rat Achilles tendons and equine superficial digital flexor tendon 5 mm segments. This revealed a complex network of laminin-α4 within the tendon core that predominantly localises to the interfascicular matrix compartment. Furthermore, we implemented a chemical drying process capable of creating contrast densities enabling visualisation and quantification of both fascicular and interfascicular matrix volume and thickness by x-ray micro-computed tomography. We also demonstrated that both modalities can be combined using reverse clarification of fluorescently labelled tissues prior to chemical drying to enable bimodal imaging of a single sample. Conclusions Whole-mount imaging of tendon allowed us to identify the presence of an extensive network of laminin-α4 within tendon, the complexity of which cannot be appreciated using traditional 2D imaging techniques. Creating contrast for x-ray micro-computed tomography imaging of tendon using chemical drying is not only simple and rapid, but also markedly improves on previously published methods. Combining these methods provides the ability to gain spatio-temporal information and quantify tendon substructures to elucidate the relationship between morphology and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil Marr
- Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Royal College Street, London, UK
| | - Mark Hopkinson
- Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Royal College Street, London, UK
| | - Andrew P Hibbert
- Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Royal College Street, London, UK
| | - Andrew A Pitsillides
- Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Royal College Street, London, UK
| | - Chavaunne T Thorpe
- Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Royal College Street, London, UK
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18
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Nürnberg E, Vitacolonna M, Klicks J, von Molitor E, Cesetti T, Keller F, Bruch R, Ertongur-Fauth T, Riedel K, Scholz P, Lau T, Schneider R, Meier J, Hafner M, Rudolf R. Routine Optical Clearing of 3D-Cell Cultures: Simplicity Forward. Front Mol Biosci 2020; 7:20. [PMID: 32154265 PMCID: PMC7046628 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2020.00020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Three-dimensional cell cultures, such as spheroids and organoids, serve as increasingly important models in fundamental and applied research and start to be used for drug screening purposes. Optical tissue clearing procedures are employed to enhance visualization of fluorescence-stained organs, tissues, and three-dimensional cell cultures. To get a more systematic overview about the effects and applicability of optical tissue clearing on three-dimensional cell cultures, we compared six different clearing/embedding protocols on seven types of spheroid- and chip-based three-dimensional cell cultures of approximately 300 μm in size that were stained with nuclear dyes, immunofluorescence, cell trackers, and cyan fluorescent protein. Subsequent whole mount confocal microscopy and semi-automated image analysis were performed to quantify the effects. Quantitative analysis included fluorescence signal intensity and signal-to-noise ratio as a function of z-depth as well as segmentation and counting of nuclei and immunopositive cells. In general, these analyses revealed five key points, which largely confirmed current knowledge and were quantified in this study. First, there was a massive variability of effects of different clearing protocols on sample transparency and shrinkage as well as on dye quenching. Second, all tested clearing protocols worked more efficiently on samples prepared with one cell type than on co-cultures. Third, z-compensation was imperative to minimize variations in signal-to-noise ratio. Fourth, a combination of sample-inherent cell density, sample shrinkage, uniformity of signal-to-noise ratio, and image resolution had a strong impact on data segmentation, cell counts, and relative numbers of immunofluorescence-positive cells. Finally, considering all mentioned aspects and including a wish for simplicity and speed of protocols - in particular, for screening purposes - clearing with 88% Glycerol appeared to be the most promising option amongst the ones tested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elina Nürnberg
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology, Mannheim University of Applied Sciences, Mannheim, Germany
- Zentralinstitut für Seelische Gesundheit, Department of Translational Brain Research, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Mario Vitacolonna
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology, Mannheim University of Applied Sciences, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Julia Klicks
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology, Mannheim University of Applied Sciences, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Elena von Molitor
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology, Mannheim University of Applied Sciences, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Tiziana Cesetti
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology, Mannheim University of Applied Sciences, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Florian Keller
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology, Mannheim University of Applied Sciences, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Roman Bruch
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology, Mannheim University of Applied Sciences, Mannheim, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Thorsten Lau
- Zentralinstitut für Seelische Gesundheit, Department of Translational Brain Research, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | | | - Julia Meier
- TIP Oncology, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Mathias Hafner
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology, Mannheim University of Applied Sciences, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Rüdiger Rudolf
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology, Mannheim University of Applied Sciences, Mannheim, Germany
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19
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Matryba P, Sosnowska A, Wolny A, Bozycki L, Greig A, Grzybowski J, Stefaniuk M, Nowis D, Gołąb J. Systematic Evaluation of Chemically Distinct Tissue Optical Clearing Techniques in Murine Lymph Nodes. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2020; 204:1395-1407. [PMID: 31953352 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1900847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Activation of adaptive immunity is a complex process coordinated at multiple levels in both time and the three-dimensional context of reactive lymph nodes (LNs). Although microscopy-based visualization of its spatiotemporal dynamics unravels complexities of developing immune response, such approach is highly limited by light-obstructing nature of tissue components. Recently, tissue optical clearing (TOC) techniques were established to bypass this obstacle and now allow to image and quantify the entire murine organs with cellular resolution. However, the spectrum of TOC is represented by wide variety of chemically distinct methods, each having certain advantages and disadvantages that were unsatisfactorily compared for suitability to LNs clearing. In this study, we have systematically tested 13 typical TOC techniques and assessed their impact on a number of critical factors such as LN transparency, imaging depth, change in size, compatibility with proteinaceous fluorophores, immunostaining, H&E staining, and light-sheet fluorescence microscopy. Based on the detailed data specific to TOC process of murine LNs, we provide a reliable reference for most suitable methods in an application-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paweł Matryba
- Department of Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; .,Laboratory of Neurobiology, BRAINCITY, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Sosnowska
- Department of Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland.,Postgraduate School of Molecular Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Artur Wolny
- Laboratory of Imaging Tissue Structure and Function, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Lukasz Bozycki
- Laboratory of Biochemistry of Lipids, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Alan Greig
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biosciences, University College London, London WC1 6DE, United Kingdom
| | - Jakub Grzybowski
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-004 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Marzena Stefaniuk
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, BRAINCITY, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Dominika Nowis
- Department of Genomic Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; and.,Laboratory of Experimental Medicine, Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jakub Gołąb
- Department of Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland;
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