J. Drost et al. (FEB 2016)
Nature protocols 11 2 347--58
Organoid culture systems for prostate epithelial and cancer tissue.
This protocol describes a strategy for the generation of 3D prostate organoid cultures from healthy mouse and human prostate cells (either bulk or FACS-sorted single luminal and basal cells),metastatic prostate cancer lesions and circulating tumor cells. Organoids derived from healthy material contain the differentiated luminal and basal cell types,whereas organoids derived from prostate cancer tissue mimic the histology of the tumor. We explain how to establish these cultures in the fully defined serum-free conditioned medium that is required to sustain organoid growth. Starting with the plating of digested tissue material,full-grown organoids can usually be obtained in ∼2 weeks. The culture protocol we describe here is currently the only one that allows the growth of both the luminal and basal prostatic epithelial lineages,as well as the growth of advanced prostate cancers. Organoids established using this protocol can be used to study many different aspects of prostate biology,including homeostasis,tumorigenesis and drug discovery.
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Doran MR et al. (JUL 2010)
Biomaterials 31 19 5137--42
Defined high protein content surfaces for stem cell culture.
Unlocking the clinical potential of stem cell based therapies requires firstly elucidation of the biological mechanisms which direct stem cell fate decisions and thereafter,technical advances which allow these processes to be driven in a fully defined culture environment. Strategies for the generation of defined surfaces for human embryonic stem cell (hESC) and mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) culture remain in their infancy. In this paper we outline a simple,effective and efficient method for presenting proteins or peptides on an otherwise non-fouling Layer-by-Layer (LbL) self-assembled surface of hyaluronic acid (HA) and chitosan (CHI). We are able to generate a surface that has both good temporal stability and the ability to direct biological outcomes based on its defined surface composition. Surface functionalization is achieved through suspending the selected extracellular matrix (ECM) protein domain or extracted full-length protein in buffer containing a cross-linking agent (N-hydroxysulfosuccinimide/N-(3-Dimethylaminopropyl)-N'-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride) over the LbL HA-CHI surface and then allowing the solvent to evaporate overnight. This simple,but important step results in remarkable protein deposition efficiencies often exceeding 50%,whereas traditional cross-linking methods result in such poor deposition of non-collagenous proteins that a.) quantification of bound amounts of protein is outside the resolution of commonly utilized protein assays,and b.) these surfaces are both unable to support cell attachment and growth. The utility of the protein-modified HA-CHI surfaces is demonstrated through the identification of specific hESC attachment efficiencies and through directing MSC osteogenic outcomes on these fully defined surfaces. This simple and scalable method is shown to enable the development of defined stem cell culture conditions,as well as the elucidation of the fundamental biological processes necessary for the realization of stem cell based therapies.
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Er JC et al. (FEB 2015)
Angewandte Chemie - International Edition 54 8 2442--2446
Neuo: A fluorescent chemical probe for live neuron labeling
To address existing limitations in live neuron imaging,we have developed NeuO,a novel cell-permeable fluorescent probe with an unprecedented ability to label and image live neurons selectively over other cells in the brain. NeuO enables robust live neuron imaging and isolation in vivo and in vitro across species; its versatility and ease of use sets the basis for its development in a myriad of neuronal targeting applications.
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