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Liu JR, Modo M. Quantification of the Extracellular Matrix Molecule Thrombospondin 1 and Its Pericellular Association in the Brain Using a Semiautomated Computerized Approach. J Histochem Cytochem 2018; 66:643-662. [PMID: 29683384 DOI: 10.1369/0022155418771677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The structure and functions of the extracellular matrix (ECM), its spatial distribution and pericellular association of ECM molecules remain poorly understood. Colocalization of ECM molecules with cell phenotypes through immunohistochemistry can provide crucial insights into their juxtacrine signaling role as well as their structural relevance to tissue architecture. As manual quantification of images introduces intra- and inter-user bias and is cumbersome for high-throughput approaches, we implemented an automated high-throughput method to quantify the spatial distribution and cellular association of one ECM molecule, thrombospondin 1 (TSP1) with two major cell phenotypes, neurons, and astrocytes. The distribution of TSP1 was homogeneous throughout the striatum and cortex along the anterior-posterior axis. TSP1 occupied 8.85% of the striatum and 7.40% in the cortex. TSP1 also associated with 94.58% and 88.45% of neurons in the striatum and cortex. The association with astrocytes was significantly lower at 47.55% and 28.09%. These findings highlight the key role that TSP1 plays in neuron physiology in a healthy brain, but also highlights key regional difference in astrocytes secreting ECM molecules. The semiautomated approach implemented here will improve the throughput and reliability of measuring the distribution and cellular colocalization of ECM molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessie R Liu
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Michel Modo
- Department of Radiology, McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Centre for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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Treweek JB, Gradinaru V. Extracting structural and functional features of widely distributed biological circuits with single cell resolution via tissue clearing and delivery vectors. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2016; 40:193-207. [PMID: 27393829 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2016.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2015] [Revised: 03/10/2016] [Accepted: 03/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The scientific community has learned a great deal from imaging small and naturally transparent organisms such as nematodes and zebrafish. The consequences of genetic mutations on their organ development and survival can be visualized easily and with high-throughput at the organism-wide scale. In contrast, three-dimensional information is less accessible in mammalian subjects because the heterogeneity of light-scattering tissue elements renders their organs opaque. Likewise, genetically labeling desired circuits across mammalian bodies is prohibitively slow and costly via the transgenic route. Emerging breakthroughs in viral vector engineering, genome editing tools, and tissue clearing can render larger opaque organisms genetically tractable and transparent for whole-organ cell phenotyping, tract tracing and imaging at depth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Brooke Treweek
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Viviana Gradinaru
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
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Treweek JB, Chan KY, Flytzanis NC, Yang B, Deverman BE, Greenbaum A, Lignell A, Xiao C, Cai L, Ladinsky MS, Bjorkman PJ, Fowlkes CC, Gradinaru V. Whole-body tissue stabilization and selective extractions via tissue-hydrogel hybrids for high-resolution intact circuit mapping and phenotyping. Nat Protoc 2015; 10:1860-1896. [PMID: 26492141 PMCID: PMC4917295 DOI: 10.1038/nprot.2015.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 190] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
To facilitate fine-scale phenotyping of whole specimens, we describe here a set of tissue fixation-embedding, detergent-clearing and staining protocols that can be used to transform excised organs and whole organisms into optically transparent samples within 1-2 weeks without compromising their cellular architecture or endogenous fluorescence. PACT (passive CLARITY technique) and PARS (perfusion-assisted agent release in situ) use tissue-hydrogel hybrids to stabilize tissue biomolecules during selective lipid extraction, resulting in enhanced clearing efficiency and sample integrity. Furthermore, the macromolecule permeability of PACT- and PARS-processed tissue hybrids supports the diffusion of immunolabels throughout intact tissue, whereas RIMS (refractive index matching solution) grants high-resolution imaging at depth by further reducing light scattering in cleared and uncleared samples alike. These methods are adaptable to difficult-to-image tissues, such as bone (PACT-deCAL), and to magnified single-cell visualization (ePACT). Together, these protocols and solutions enable phenotyping of subcellular components and tracing cellular connectivity in intact biological networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer B Treweek
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Ken Y Chan
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Nicholas C Flytzanis
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Bin Yang
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Benjamin E Deverman
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Alon Greenbaum
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Antti Lignell
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Cheng Xiao
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Long Cai
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Mark S Ladinsky
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Pamela J Bjorkman
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Charless C Fowlkes
- Department of Computer Science, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Viviana Gradinaru
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
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