scholarly journals Reversible and irreversible electroporation of cell suspensions flowing through a localized DC electric field

Author(s):  
Włodzimierz Korohoda ◽  
Maciej Grys ◽  
Zbigniew Madeja

AbstractExperiments on reversible and irreversible cell electroporation were carried out with an experimental setup based on a standard apparatus for horizontal electrophoresis, a syringe pump with regulated cell suspension flow velocity and a dcEF power supply. Cells in suspension flowing through an orifice in a barrier inserted into the electrophoresis apparatus were exposed to defined localized dcEFs in the range of 0–1000 V/cm for a selected duration in the range 10–1000 ms. This method permitted the determination of the viability of irreversibly electroperforated cells. It also showed that the uptake by reversibly electroperforated cells of fluorescent dyes (calcein, carboxyfluorescein, Alexa Fluor 488 Phalloidin), which otherwise do not penetrate cell membranes, was dependent upon the dcEF strength and duration in any given single electrical field exposure. The method yields reproducible results, makes it easy to load large volumes of cell suspensions with membrane non-penetrating substances, and permits the elimination of irreversibly electroporated cells of diameter greater than desired. The results concur with and elaborate on those in earlier reports on cell electroporation in commercially available electroporators. They proved once more that the observed cell perforation does not depend upon the thermal effects of the electric current upon cells. In addition, the method eliminates many of the limitations of commercial electroporators and disposable electroporation chambers. It permits the optimization of conditions in which reversible and irreversible electroporation are separated. Over 90% of reversibly electroporated cells remain viable after one short (less than 400 ms) exposure to the localized dcEF. Experiments were conducted with the AT-2 cancer prostate cell line, human skin fibroblasts and human red blood cells, but they could be run with suspensions of any cell type. It is postulated that the described method could be useful for many purposes in biotechnology and biomedicine and could help optimize conditions for in vivo use of both reversible and irreversible electroporation.

Author(s):  
T. Murakami ◽  
O.G. Doerre ◽  
L.D. Peachey ◽  
E.S. Weinberg

Fluorescent dyes have been extremely useful in determining cell lineages in the developing zebrafish embryo. For example, injection of FITC-dextran into blastomeres has allowed the determination of a tissue fate map at late blastula and a description of cell movements during gastrulation. Here we describe the use of green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a tracer dye for cell movements in developing early zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos. Since GFP was purified and cloned from the jellyfish Aequorea victoria, it has attracted great attention from biologists as an in vivo tracer and a reporter gene. The protein requires no cofactors or substrates for its fluorescence. This property allows one to inject GFP DNA constructs or in vitro synthesized GFP mRNA into individual cells which can then be expected to continuously synthesize the protein, thus obviating the dilution and bleaching effects often observed when fixed amounts of fluorescent tracer dyes are injected into dividing cells.


Author(s):  
Maciej Grys ◽  
Zbigniew Madeja ◽  
Włodzimierz Korohoda

AbstractThe recently described method of cell electroporation by flow of cell suspension through localized direct current electric fields (dcEFs) was applied to identify non-toxic substances that could sensitize cells to external electric fields. We found that local cationic anesthetics such as procaine, lidocaine and tetracaine greatly facilitated the electroporation of AT2 rat prostate carcinoma cells and human skin fibroblasts (HSF). This manifested as a 50% reduction in the strength of the electric field required to induce cell death by irreversible electroporation or to introduce fluorescent dyes such as calcein, carboxyfluorescein or Lucifer yellow into the cells. A similar decrease in the electric field thresholds for irreversible and reversible cell electroporation was observed when the cells were exposed to the electric field in the presence of the non-toxic cationic dyes 9-aminoacridine (9-AAA) or toluidine blue. Identifying non-toxic, reversibly acting cell sensitizers may facilitate cancer tissue ablation and help introduce therapeutic or diagnostic substances into the cells and tissues.


Author(s):  
M. Boublik ◽  
W. Hellmann ◽  
F. Jenkins

The present knowledge of the three-dimensional structure of ribosomes is far too limited to enable a complete understanding of the various roles which ribosomes play in protein biosynthesis. The spatial arrangement of proteins and ribonuclec acids in ribosomes can be analysed in many ways. Determination of binding sites for individual proteins on ribonuclec acid and locations of the mutual positions of proteins on the ribosome using labeling with fluorescent dyes, cross-linking reagents, neutron-diffraction or antibodies against ribosomal proteins seem to be most successful approaches. Structure and function of ribosomes can be correlated be depleting the complete ribosomes of some proteins to the functionally inactive core and by subsequent partial reconstitution in order to regain active ribosomal particles.


2016 ◽  
Vol 55 (02) ◽  
pp. 51-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Hermann ◽  
M. Schäfers ◽  
C. Höltke ◽  
A. Faust

SummaryOptical imaging has long been considered a method for histological or microscopic investigations. Over the last 15 years, however, this method was applied for preclinical molecular imaging and, just recently, was also able to show its principal potential for clinical applications (e.g. fluorescence-guided surgery). Reviewing the development and preclinical evaluation of new fluorescent dyes and target-specific dye conjugates, these often show characteristic patterns of their routes of excretion and biodistribution, which could also be interesting for the development and optimization of radiopharmaceuticals. Especially ionic charges show a great influence on biodistribution and netcharge and charge-distribution on a conjugate often determines unspecific binding or background signals in liver, kidney or intestine, and other organs.Learning from fluorescent probe behaviour in vivo and translating this knowledge to radio-pharmaceuticals might be useful to further optimize emerging and existing radiopharmaceuticals with respect to their biodistribution and thereby availability for binding to their targets.


1987 ◽  
Vol 26 (01) ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Selvaraj ◽  
M. R. Suresh ◽  
G. McLean ◽  
D. Willans ◽  
C. Turner ◽  
...  

The role of glycoconjugates in tumor cell differentiation has been well documented. We have examined the expression of the two anomers of the Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen on the surface of human, canine and murine tumor cell membranes both in vitro and in vivo. This has been accomplished through the synthesis of the disaccharide terminal residues in both a and ß configuration. Both entities were used to generate murine monoclonal antibodies which recognized the carbohydrate determinants. The determination of fine specificities of these antibodies was effected by means of cellular uptake, immunohistopathology and immunoscintigraphy. Examination of pathological specimens of human and canine tumor tissue indicated that the expressed antigen was in the β configuration. More than 89% of all human carcinomas tested expressed the antigen in the above anomeric form. The combination of synthetic antigens and monoclonal antibodies raised specifically against them provide us with invaluable tools for the study of tumor marker expression in humans and their respective animal tumor models.


1974 ◽  
Vol 32 (02/03) ◽  
pp. 405-416 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. R Hardeman ◽  
Carina J L. Heynens

SummaryStorage experiments were performed at 4°, 25° and 37° C with platelet-rich plasma under sterile conditions. In some experiments also the effect of storing platelets at 4° C in whole blood was investigated.Before, during and after three days of storage, the platelets were tested at 37° C for their serotonin uptake and response to hypotonic shock. In addition some glycolytic intermediates were determined.A fair correlation was noticed between the serotonin uptake and hypotonic shock experiments. Both parameters were best maintained at 25° C. Also platelet counting, performed after the storage period, indicated 25° C as the best storage temperature. Determination of glycolytic intermediates did not justify any conclusion regarding the optimal storage temperature. Of the various anticoagulants studied, ACD and heparin gave the best results as to the serotonin uptake and hypotonic shock response, either with fresh or stored platelets. The use of EDTA resulted in the lowest activity, especially after storage.The results of these storage experiments in vitro, correspond well with those in vivo reported in the literature.


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