J.H. is supported by NIH K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award (5K99CA172700) and NCI Brain Cancer SPORE Career Development Award (2P50CA127001).

NOTE: All the steps in this protocol have been approved by UT MD Anderson Cancer Center.
1. Generation of mTERT-ER Allele
<ol>
	<li>Introduce knock-in targeting vector containing the ERT2-LBD (Ligand Binding Domain) upstream and in frame with the mTERT genomic sequence (exon 1 through intron 2) and a Lox-pgk-Neo-Lox fragment (Figure 1A) into mouse ES cells with electroporation.</li>
	<li>Culture the ES cells in neomycin for 6-10 days. Pick neomycin-resistant clones and expand in 48 well plates. Extract the genomic DNA using a commercial kit and confirm the knock-in allele by southern blot.</li>
	<li>Inject two ES lines with over 95% normal karyotypes into C57BL/6 blastocysts with a micromanipulation kit under an inverted microscope. Implant the blastocysts into the uterus of surrogate mothers23. Mate the high-grade male chimaeras (70-90%) to C57BL/6 females.</li>
	<li>Confirm the genotyping of heterozygous mTERT-ERneo animals by southern blot.</li>
	<li>Mate the heterozygous mTERT-ERneo animals and EIIa-Cre animals to delete the NeoR cassette. Mate the heterozygous animals to C57BL/6 animals for at least three times, and further inter-breed heterozygous mTERT-ER animals to generate homozygosity.</li>
</ol>
2. Generation of LSL-mTERT Allele
<ol>
	<li>Introduce the knock-in targeting vector containing a LoxP-triple Stopper-Neo-LoxP fragment and the mTERT genomic sequence (between exon 1 and intron 2, Figure 1B) into mouse ES cells with electroporation23.</li>
	<li>Culture the ES cells in neomycin for 6-10 days. Pick neomycin-resistant clones and expand in 48 well plates. Extract the genomic DNA using a commercial kit and confirm the knock-in allele by southern blot23.</li>
	<li>Inject two ES lines with over 95% normal karyotypes into C57BL/6 blastocysts with a micromanipulation kit under an inverted microscope. Implant the blastocysts into the uterus of surrogate mothers23. Mate the high-grade male chimaeras (70-90%) to C57BL/6 females.</li>
	<li>Confirm the genotyping of heterozygous LSL-mTERT animals by southern blot.</li>
	<li>Mate the heterozygous animals to C57BL/6 animals for at least three times, and further inter-breed heterozygous LSL-mTERT animals to generate homozygosity.</li>
</ol>
3. Reactivation of Telomerase in mTERT-ER and LSL-mTERT Mice In Vivo
 For mTERT-ER
<ol>
	<li>Sterilize all the surgical tools before the injection.</li>
	<li>Anesthetize the mice with isoflurane chamber (4% for induction, 2% for maintaining) in 50% (v/v) oxygen/50% (v/v) dinitrogen monoxide gas mixture. Or anesthetize mice by a ketamine-xylazine mixture (100 mg/kg bodyweight + 10 mg/kg bodyweight).</li>
	<li>After deep anesthesia is reached, remove the anesthetized animal from the induction chamber, and keep their head inside the tube connected to the isoflurane chamber (2%).</li>
	<li>Pinch the foot pads of the mice to ensure the animal is deeply anaesthetized. Put ointment on both eyes in order to prevent the eyes from drying out. Wipe the back of the mice with povidone-iodine solution.</li>
	<li>Inject the slow-releasing 4-OHT pellet with precision trochar (10 G) under the skin of the back and push the pellet all the way to the midline between two shoulders.</li>
	<li>Seal the incision with wound clip applier and monitor the mice for recovery from anesthesia. Remove the clips 10 days later.&#160;Supplemental heat is not necessary because the procedure is finished shortly.</li>
	<li>Period of treatment with 4-OHT pellet should be optimized according to the purpose of the study.</li>
</ol>
For LSL-mTERT
<ol>
	<li>Tamoxifen (10 mg/ml, dissolved in corn oil) is injected intraperitoneally two consecutive days (200 ul/25 g/day).
	</li>
</ol>
4. Isolation of Neural Stem Cells and Reactivation of Telomerase In Vitro
<ol>
	<li>Mice are euthanized with carbon dioxide and the brains are removed.&#160;Follow the protocol of commercially available neural tissue dissociation kit as per manufacturer.&#160;</li>
	<li>Resuspend the lyophilized powder in the vial labeled Solution 4 with 1 ml of cell culture medium for Solution 4. Do not vortex. This solution should then be aliquoted and stored at &#8211;20 &#176;C for later use.</li>
	<li>Pre-Heat the mixture at 37 &#176;C for 15 min before use.</li>
	<li>Make Enzyme Mix 1: Solution 1 (50 &#181;l) and Solution 2 (1,900 &#181;l). Make Enzyme Mix 2: Solution 3 (20 &#181;l) and Solution 4 (10 &#181;l).</li>
	<li>Prepare 1,950 &#181;l enzyme mix 1 for up to 400 mg tissue and vortex. Pre-heat the mixture at 37 &#176;C for 15 min before use.</li>
	<li>Take out the 1-day mouse brains, and keep the forebrains by removing the olfactory bulbs and the cerebellum. Keep the forebrain tissues in 1 ml of cold culture medium since removal and store in 4 &#176;C. Make sure to process the neural tissue within 1 hr.</li>
	<li>Determine the weight of tissue to make sure the 400 mg limit per digestion is not exceeded. Place the brain on the lid of a 35 mm diameter Petri dish, and crush the brain using a scalpel.</li>
	<li>Using a 1 ml pipette tip, add 1 ml of HBSS (w/o Ca/Mg) and pipette pieces back into a 15 ml tube. Rinse with HBSS (w/o Ca/Mg). Centrifuge at 300 &#215; g for 2 min at room temperature and aspirate the supernatant carefully.</li>
	<li>Add 1,950 &#181;l of pre-heated enzyme mix 1 (Solutions 1 and 2) per up to 400 mg tissue. Incubate in the 15 ml tube for 15 min at 37 &#176;C, mixing by inverting or shaking the tube every 5 min.</li>
	<li>Prepare 30 &#181;l enzyme mix 2 per tissue sample by adding 20 &#956;l of Solution 3 to 10 &#956;l of Solution 4. Then add to sample. Invert gently to mix. Do not vortex.</li>
	<li>Dissociate tissue mechanically using a wide-tipped, fire-polished Pasteur pipette by pipetting up and down 10 times slowly. Avoid forming air bubbles.</li>
	<li>Incubate at 37 &#176;C for 10 min, inverting the tube every 3 min.</li>
	<li>Repeat the step 4.11 and step 4.12 if the tissues are bigger than 200 mg.</li>
	<li>Apply the cell suspension to a 70 &#956;m cell strainer, placed on a 50 ml tube. Apply 10 ml of PBS through cell strainer. Discard cell strainer and centrifuge cell suspension at 300 g for 20 min at room temperature. Aspirate supernatant completely.</li>
	<li>Resuspend cells with stem cell medium to the required volume for further applications.</li>
	<li>To activate telomerase in LSL-mTERT NSCs, treat the cells with 100 &#181;M 4-OHT for two days. To activate telomerase in mTERT-ER NSCs, keep the cells in culture medium with 100 &#181;M 4-OHT.</li>
</ol>
5. Telomere FISH
<ol>
	<li>Prepare the metaphase chromosomes from cultured cells.</li>
	<li>For FFPE (Formalin Fixed and Paraffin Embedded) tissue sections, deparaffinize in xylene and rehydrate in ethanol series for 5 minutes each (100%, 90%, 70%, 50% ethanol) and PBS for 5 min.</li>
	<li>Post-fix in the methanol: acetic acid (3:1) for 1-2 hr. Dehydrate in cold ethanol series for 5 min each (70%, 90%, 100% ethanol) and air dry. Wash in 1x PBS at 37 &#176;C for 5 min.</li>
	<li>Denature chromosomes in 4% formaldehyde at 37 &#176;C for 2 min. Dehydrate in cold ethanol series 5 min each (70%, 90%, 100% ethanol) and air dry.</li>
	<li>Apply 12 to 25 &#181;l of the PNA hybridization mixture to each slide. (Hybridization mix: 70% formamide, 0.06x SSC, 0.2% BSA, 0.5 ng/&#181;l tRNA, 0.5 ng/&#181;l telomere or centromere probes)</li>
	<li>Seal the cover slip with rubber cement. Post-denature chromosomal preps and tissue sections at 80 &#176;C for 4 min. Hybridize at room temperature or 37 &#176;C for 2-4 hr in humid chamber.</li>
	<li>Wash at room temperature with washing buffer 2 x 15 min. (Wash buffer: 70% formamide, 0.06x SSC, pH 7.2). Wash at room temperature 3 x 5 min with PBST. Counter-stain slides with DAPI or far-red fluorescence for microscopic examination.</li>
</ol>

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<li>Rudolph, K. L., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Longevity%2C+stress+response%2C+and+cancer+in+aging+telomerase-deficient+mice%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Cell%22%5BJournal%5D)">Longevity, stress response, and cancer in aging telomerase-deficient mice.</a> Cell. 96, 701-712 (1999).</li>
<li>Wong, K. K., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Telomere+dysfunction+impairs+DNA+repair+and+enhances+sensitivity+to+ionizing+radiation%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Nat+Genet%22%5BJournal%5D)">Telomere dysfunction impairs DNA repair and enhances sensitivity to ionizing radiation.</a> Nat Genet. 26, 85-88 (2000).</li>
<li>Ferron, S., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Telomere+shortening+and+chromosomal+instability+abrogates+proliferation+of+adult+but+not+embryonic+neural+stem+cells%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Development%22%5BJournal%5D)">Telomere shortening and chromosomal instability abrogates proliferation of adult but not embryonic neural stem cells.</a> Development. 131, 4059-4070 (2004).</li>
<li>Savage, S. A., Alter, B. P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Dyskeratosis+congenita%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Hematol+Oncol+Clin+North+Am%22%5BJournal%5D)">Dyskeratosis congenita.</a> Hematol Oncol Clin North Am. 23, 215-231 (2009).</li>
<li>Armanios, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Syndromes+of+telomere+shortening%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Annu+Rev+Genomics+Hum+Genet%22%5BJournal%5D)">Syndromes of telomere shortening.</a> Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet. 10, 45-61 (2009).</li>
<li>Vulliamy, T., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((The+RNA+component+of+telomerase+is+mutated+in+autosomal+dominant+dyskeratosis+congenita%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Nature%22%5BJournal%5D)">The RNA component of telomerase is mutated in autosomal dominant dyskeratosis congenita.</a> Nature. 413, 432-435 (2001).</li>
<li>Harley, C. B., Harley, S. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Telomerase%2C+checkpoints+and+cancer%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Cancer+surveys%22%5BJournal%5D)">Telomerase, checkpoints and cancer.</a> Cancer surveys. 29, 263-284 (1997).</li>
<li>Karlseder, J., Broccoli, D., Dai, Y., Hardy, S., de Lange, T. p53- and ATM-dependent apoptosis induced by telomeres lacking TRF2. <a target="_blank" href="http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&safe=off&q=author%3aKarlseder%2C+J+%22Science+%28New+York%2C+N.Y.%29%22">Science (New York, N.Y.)</a>. 283, 1321-1325 (1999).</li>
<li>Steensel, B., Smogorzewska, A., de Lange, T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((TRF2+protects+human+telomeres+from+end-to-end+fusions%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Cell%22%5BJournal%5D)">TRF2 protects human telomeres from end-to-end fusions.</a> Cell. 92, 401-413 (1998).</li>
<li>Chin, L., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((p53+deficiency+rescues+the+adverse+effects+of+telomere+loss+and+cooperates+with+telomere+dysfunction+to+accelerate+carcinogenesis%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Cell%22%5BJournal%5D)">p53 deficiency rescues the adverse effects of telomere loss and cooperates with telomere dysfunction to accelerate carcinogenesis.</a> Cell. 97, 527-538 (1999).</li>
<li>Artandi, S. E., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Telomere+dysfunction+promotes+non-reciprocal+translocations+and+epithelial+cancers+in+mice%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Nature%22%5BJournal%5D)">Telomere dysfunction promotes non-reciprocal translocations and epithelial cancers in mice.</a> Nature. 406, 641-645 (2000).</li>
<li>Rudolph, K. L., Millard, M., Bosenberg, M. W., DePinho, R. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Telomere+dysfunction+and+evolution+of+intestinal+carcinoma+in+mice+and+humans%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Nat+Genet%22%5BJournal%5D)">Telomere dysfunction and evolution of intestinal carcinoma in mice and humans.</a> Nat Genet. 28, 155-159 (2001).</li>
<li>Greenberg, R. A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Short+dysfunctional+telomeres+impair+tumorigenesis+in+the+INK4a%28delta2%2F3%29+cancer-prone+mouse%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Cell%22%5BJournal%5D)">Short dysfunctional telomeres impair tumorigenesis in the INK4a(delta2/3) cancer-prone mouse.</a> Cell. 97, 515-525 (1999).</li>
<li>Jaskelioff, M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Telomerase+reactivation+reverses+tissue+degeneration+in+aged+telomerase-deficient+mice%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Nature%22%5BJournal%5D)">Telomerase reactivation reverses tissue degeneration in aged telomerase-deficient mice.</a> Nature. 469, 102-106 (2011).</li>
<li>Hu, J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Antitelomerase+therapy+provokes+ALT+and+mitochondrial+adaptive+mechanisms+in+cancer%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Cell%22%5BJournal%5D)">Antitelomerase therapy provokes ALT and mitochondrial adaptive mechanisms in cancer.</a> Cell. 148, 651-663 (2012).</li>
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</ol>

The authors have nothing to disclose.

Here, we report the generation of two inducible murine telomerase alleles and how to reactivate telomerase in vivo and in vitro. The critical step for reactivating mTERT-ER activity is to keep a continuous concentration of tamoxifen, so we choose to use 4-OHT time-release pellets manufactured by Innovative Research of America. The pellets keep releasing 4OHT at a steady state blood level of 1&#8201;ng/ml for up to 60 days. In a previous study, we showed that reactivating telomerase activity with this strategy was able to ameliorate the degenerative phenotypes such as stem cell exhaustion, impairment of tissue injury responses and organ failure in multiple organs that were induced by telomere dysfunction in G4mTERTER/ER mice20.
Other than studying the function of telomerase in ageing, these two inducible telomerase alleles can also be used to study cancer. Previous studies took advantage of these alleles to explore the role of telomere attrition and telomerase reactivation in shaping the genomes and impacting the biology of T-cell thymic lymphoma21 and prostate cancer22. These two studies showed that telomere dysfunction in late generation G4 Atm-/- mTERTER/ER and G4 PB-Cre4 PtenL/L p53L/L LSL-mTERTL/L mice provides a mechanism fueling the acquisition of early mutagenic events for tumor initiation, yet preventing progression of fully malignant tumors. When telomerase was reactivated in the context of telomere dysfunction-induced genomic instability, DNA damage checkpoints and rampant chromosomal instability were suppressed , which allowed the full progression of malignant tumors with new biological properties such as bone metastasis of prostate cancer21 and brain infiltration of thymic lymphoma21. Similar phenomena were also observed in other cancer types including colon cancer and pancreatic cancer (personal communications with Drs. Haoqiang Ying, Adam Boutin and Ronald DePinho).
Because TERT-ER protein can be easily toggled between on and off states depending on whether the animals are treated with tamoxifen or vehicle, the tumor models generated by mTERT-ER allele can be utilized to test anti-telomerase therapy. In previous study, tumors generated in G4 Atm-/- mTERTER/ER animals were released from 4-OHT; upon telomerase depletion, tumors eventually shrank due to the reinstatement of telomere dysfunction-induced checkpoints21. However, some of the tumors acquired resistance in response to telomerase extinction by activating an Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres (ALT) mechanism. Further characterization of these ALT+ resistant tumors showed that they have aberrant transcription of genes involved in mitochondrial biology and oxidative defense including a master regulator of mitochondrial synthesis and oxidative defense PGC-1&#946;. Knockdown of PGC-1&#946; or SOD2 (another regulator of oxidative defense) significantly eliminates ALT+ tumor cells while keep telomerase+ tumor cells remain relatively intact21 .
One limitation of these two knock-in alleles is that they can only afford reactivation of telomerase at endogenous level because they are in the native locus of the telomerase gene. In most human cancers, telomerase is actually overexpressed at a much higher level. In order to enhance the level of telomerase, one modification we can consider is to insert the mTERT-ER construct with a stronger promoter such as PGK (phosphoglycerate kinase) promoter into Rosa26 locus.
In conclusion, these two novel inducible murine telomerase alleles provide unprecedented genetic tools to study the functions of telomerase in ageing and tissue homeostasis as well as the tumor progression, especially under the background of pre-acquired telomere dysfunction-induced genomic instability. The mTERT-ER allele can also be used to study anti-telomerase therapy by crossing into other tumor-prone mouse models.

Telomerase is an enzyme responsible for maintaining telomeres. These are repetitive sequences at the ends of chromosomes that protect their integrity. The core components of telomerase holoenzyme are a reverse transcriptase catalytic subunit (TERT) and an RNA subunit (TERC) that serves as the template for adding the telomeric repeats1,2. While generally suppressed in differentiated somatic cells, telomerase exhibits robust activity and plays important roles in germ cells, cancer cells and stem cells.
mTERC and mTERT knockout mice provide great in vivo model systems to study the functions of telomerase in both stem cells and cancer. The mTERC and mTERT knockout mice (G1) did not show any obvious phenotypes due to the long reserve of telomeres in mice3. However, serially intercrossing mTERC and mTERT knockout mice to late generation (G5-G6) resulted in progressive erosion of telomeres and eventually provoked severe degeneration of highly proliferative tissues4. Late generation (G5-G6) mTERC-/- mice are infertile due to the high rates of apoptosis in testis and germ cell depletion. G5-G6 mTERC-/- mice also exhibit degenerative phenotypes in highly proliferative tissues including bone marrow, intestine and skin due to high rates of apoptosis and defective self-renewal capability in tissue stem/progenitor cell compartments4. Hematopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow of late generation mTERC-/- mice exhibit loss of proliferative potential, compromised self-renewal capability, enhanced apoptosis and, eventually functional exhaustion5,6. Similarly, progressively increased apoptotic bodies in intestinal crypts were observed in each successive generation of G1-G6 mTERC-/- mice7,8. The deleterious effect of dysfunctional telomeres doesn&#8217;t seem to be limited to high turnover tissues since both the proliferation of adult neural stem cells in vitro and the neurogenesis in vivo were severely impaired in late generation (G4-G5) mTERC-/- mice9. The role of telomerase in stem cells is further supported by the findings in a rare human genetic disorder dyskeratosis congenita (DKC), which in some ways resembles premature ageing10,11. DKC is caused by mutations in TERC, TERT, and genes that encode dyskerin, a core telomerase subunit, and other dyskerin associated proteins12. In average, telomeres in DKC patients are shorter than 99% of age-matched controls. The major morbidity of the disease is due to aplastic anemia, which is caused by defective maintenance of hematopoietic stem cells. Other aspects of the disease such as oral leukoplakia, nail dystrophy, mental retardation, testes atrophy and pulmonary complications all suggest impaired functions of tissue stem cells and progenitor cells10, findings in close agreement with those in late generation of telomerase knockout mice. DKC patients are prone to myelodysplastic syndrome and have an increased prevalence of malignant mucosal neoplasms. Thus, deficiency of telomerase in human patients recapitulates the defects of stem cell functions and tumor predisposition that are observed in late generation telomerase knockout mice.
Short telomeres and high telomerase activity are hallmarks of cancer. As normal or premalignant cells divide, the low or absent telomerase activity results in the eventual erosion of telomeres and activation of cellular checkpoints similar to those provoked by DNA double-stranded-breaks (DSBs)13. Like classical DSBs, telomere dysfunction has been shown to induce p53 and associated cellular responses, such as senescence and/or apoptosis14,15. Upon mutational inactivation of p53, cell cycling and cell survival are enhanced in cells with telomere dysfunction, which provides a pro-carcinogenic mutator mechanism characterized by translocations and regional amplifications and deletions16,17. At the same time, continued telomere dysfunction and associated rampant chromosomal instability (even in p53 null cells) appear to constrain full malignant progression of such cancers. For instance, late generation G4-G5 mTERC-/- Ink4a/Arf-/- mice showed significantly reduced lymphoma incidence compared with Ink4a/Arf null mice due to telomere attrition. In another study, more advanced adenomatous lesions in G4 mTERT-/- APCmin mice were greatly suppressed in comparison with APCmin mice due to significant growth arrest and apoptosis18,19. The observation that telomere dysfunction-induced genomic instability inhibits tumor progression prompts the speculation that the activation of telomerase may enable malignant progression in part by quelling genomic instability to a level compatible with cancer cell viability and/or neutralizing p53-dependent or -independent checkpoint mechanisms.
In order to study whether telomerase reactivation can stop or even reverse ageing of stem cells, and whether telomerase reactivation can promote the tumorigenesis against the backdrop of genomic instability, we generated two inducible murine telomerase alleles. The first one is 4-Hydroxytamoxifen (4-OHT)-inducible TERT-Estrogen Receptor (mTERT-ER) fusion knock-in allele. In the absence of 4-OHT, mice homozygous for mTERT-ER (designated mTERTER/ER) are telomerase activity deficient and sustain same cytogenetic and cellular phenotypes as conventional mTERT or mTERC knockout model. Upon 4-OHT treatment, TERT-ER protein activity can be restored to levels comparable to the native TERT protein20, 21. The second allele is a novel inducible TERT knock-in allele containing an intronic LoxP-Stopper-LoxP cassette (LSL-mTERT); upon Cre-mediated excision of LSL, mTERT is re-expressed under endogenous expression control mechanisms22.

<table><tbody><tr><td>Leica AM6000 Micromanipulation Kit</td><td>Leica</td><td>Per quote</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Leica DMI6000 B inverted microscope</td><td>Leica</td><td>Per quote</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Neomycin</td><td>Life technologies</td><td>21810031</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>isoflurane vaporizer</td><td>Veterinary Anesthesia Systems</td><td>911103</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>isoflurane</td><td>Henry Schein</td><td>1005796</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>ketamine-xylazine mixture</td><td>Sigma-Aldrich</td><td>K113-10ML</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>4-OHT powder</td><td>Sigma-Aldrich</td><td>H7904-5MG</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Tamoxfien</td><td>Sigma-Aldrich</td><td>T5648-1G</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>4-OHT pellet</td><td>Innovative Research of America</td><td>Custermized</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Precision Trochar (10 Gauge)</td><td>Innovative Research of America</td><td>MP-182</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>wound clip applier</td><td>Fischer Scientific</td><td>01-804</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>clip</td><td>Fischer Scientific</td><td>01-804-5</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Neural Tissue Dissociation Kit</td><td>Miltenyi Biotec</td><td>130-092-628</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>HBSS</td><td>Life technologies</td><td>14025092</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>PBS</td><td>Life technologies</td><td>10010023</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>xylene</td><td>Fischer Scientific</td><td>X3P-1GAL</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>methanol</td><td>Fischer Scientific</td><td>A-433S4</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>acetic acid</td><td>Fischer Scientific</td><td>A38-500</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>ethanol</td><td>Fischer Scientific</td><td>22-032-104</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>formamide</td><td>Fischer Scientific</td><td>F84-1</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>PNA telomere probe</td><td>Panagene</td><td>F1001-5</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>PNA centromere probe</td><td>Panagene</td><td>F3003-5</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>20X SSC</td><td>Fischer Scientific</td><td>BP1325-4</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>BSA</td><td>Sigma-Aldrich</td><td>A2153-10G</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>tRNA</td><td>Sigma-Aldrich</td><td>R5636-1ML</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Tween 20</td><td>Fischer Scientific</td><td>BP337-100</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>rubber cement</td><td>Walmart</td><td>Elmer&#039;s</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>DAPI</td><td>Sigma-Aldrich</td><td>D9542</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

utilizing murine inducible telomerase alleles in the studies of tissue degeneration/regeneration and cancer

Telomere dysfunction-induced loss of genome integrity and its associated DNA damage signaling and checkpoint responses are well-established drivers that cause tissue degeneration during ageing. Cancer, with incidence rates greatly increasing with age, is characterized by short telomere lengths and high telomerase activity. To study the roles of telomere dysfunction and telomerase reactivation in ageing and cancer, the protocol shows how to generate two murine inducible telomerase knock-in alleles 4-Hydroxytamoxifen (4-OHT)-inducible TERT-Estrogen Receptor (mTERT-ER) and Lox-Stopper-LoxTERT (LSL-mTERT). The protocol describes the procedures to induce telomere dysfunction and reactivate telomerase activity in mTERT-ER and LSL-mTERT mice in vivo. The representative data show that reactivation of telomerase activity can ameliorate the tissue degenerative phenotypes induced by telomere dysfunction. In order to determine the impact of telomerase reactivation on tumorigenesis, we generated prostate tumor model G4 PB-Cre4 PtenL/L p53L/L LSL-mTERTL/L and thymic T-cell lymphoma model G4 Atm-/- mTERTER/ER. The representative data show that telomerase reactivation in the backdrop of genomic instability induced by telomere dysfunction can greatly enhance tumorigenesis. The protocol also describes the procedures used to isolate neural stem cells (NSCs) from mTERT-ER and LSL-mTERT mice and reactivate telomerase activity in NSCs in vitro. The representative data show that reactivation of telomerase can enhance the self-renewal capability and neurogenesis in vitro. Finally, the protocol describes the procedures for performing telomere FISH (Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization) on both mouse FFPE (Formalin Fixed and Paraffin Embedded) brain tissues and metaphase chromosomes of cultured cells.

The strategies to generate murine mTERT-ER and LSL-mTERT knock-in alleles were described in Figure 1A and 1B. Specifically, a LoxP-triple Stopper-Neo-LoxP fragment was inserted between exon 1 and exon 2 of mTERT locus to generate LSL-mTERT allele. To generate mTERT-ER allele, ERT2-LBD domain in frame with the mTERT gene was inserted into the N-terminus of exon 1. We showed that when telomerase was transiently reactivated in telomere dysfunction mice by treating them with 4-OHT pellets for 4 weeks, the degenerative phenotype could be ameliorated in multiple organs such as brain (Figure 2A) and testes (Figure 2B).&#160;In order to determine the impact of telomerase reactivation on cells cultured in vitro, we isolated neural stem cells (NSCs) from late generation G4 LSL-mTERT and G4 mTERT-ER mice. We showed that when telomerase was reactivated in telomere dysfunctional NSCs, the self-renewal capability of NSCs was greatly increased (Figure 3A), and in vitro neurogenesis was also significantly enhanced (Figure 3B). In order to determine the impact of telomerase reactivation on tumorigenesis in the context of telomere dysfunction, we generated PB-Cre4 PtenL/L p53L/L LSL-mTERTL/L (prostate tumor model) and Atm-/- mTERTER/ER (thymic T-cell lymphoma model) late generation cohorts. When telomerase was reactivated by tamoxifen treatment in these mice with injection (Figure 4A) or 4-OHT pellets for 8 weeks (Figure 4B), the tumorigenesis was greatly enhanced in both prostate tumor model (Figure 4A) and thymic T-cell lymphoma model (Figure 4B). Lastly, we reported the protocols of performing telomere FISH on FFPE mouse brain tissues (Figure 5) and metaphase chromosomes (Figure 5, inset).
<img alt="Figure 1" src="/files/ftp_upload/52599/52599fig1.jpg" /> 
Figure 1: (A) mTERT-ER knock-in strategy. TV, targeting vector; WT, wild type allele; KI, knock-in allele; LA, left arm; RA, right arm; E1, exon 1; E2, exon 2; neo, pgk promoter-driven neomycin resistant gene; ER, modified estrogen receptor (ERT2) ligand binding domain; DT, dyphteria toxin gene. (B) LSL-mTERT knock-in strategy. TV, targeting vector; WT, wild type allele; KI, knock-in allele; LA, left arm; RA, right arm; E1, exon 1; E2, exon 2; neo, pgk promoter-driven neomycin resistant gene; STOPPER, three repetitive transcriptional stop sequences; DT, dyphteria toxin gene.
<img alt="Figure 2" src="/files/ftp_upload/52599/52599fig2.jpg" /> 
Figure 2: Representative data to show telomerase reactivation ameliorates degenerative phenotypes of organs. Representative images of brains (left) and testes (right) of G0 and G4 mTERT-ER mice treated with placebo or 4-OHT for 4 weeks. Scale bars indicate 50 &#181;m. Re-print with permission from 20. <a href="https://www-jove-com.remotexs.ntu.edu.sg/files/ftp_upload/52599/52599fig2large.jpg" target="_blank">Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.</a>
<img alt="Figure 3" src="/files/ftp_upload/52599/52599fig3.jpg" /> 
Figure 3: Representative data to show telomerase reactivation enhances self-renewal and neurogenesis of neural stem cells in vitro. (A) Representative images of neural stem cells isolated from G4 LSL-mTERT (upper panel) and G4 mTERT-ER (lower panel) growing in stem cell medium treated with vehicle or 4-OHT. (B) Representative images of in vitro neurogenesis (Tuj1+) of neural stem cells isolated from G4 mTERT-ER cultured in differentiation medium (with 1% FBS) treated with vehicle or 4-OHT. Scale bars indicate 100 &#181;m.
<img alt="Figure 4" src="/files/ftp_upload/52599/52599fig4.jpg" /> 
Figure 4: Representative data to show telomerase reactivation enhances tumorigenesis against the backdrop of genomic instability. (A) Representative images of prostate tumors dissected from G0 PB-Cre4 PtenL/L p53L/L LSL-mTERT+/-, G4 PB-Cre4 PtenL/L p53L/L LSL-mTERT-/-, and G4 PB-Cre4 PtenL/L p53L/L LSL-mTERTL/L treated with tamoxifen. Re-print with permission from 22. (B) Representative images of thymic T-cell lymphomas dissected from G0 Atm-/- mTERT+/ER, G4 Atm-/- mTERTER/ER treated with vehicle, and G4 Atm-/- mTERTER/ER treated with 4-OHT for 8 weeks. Scale bars indicate 1 cm.
<img alt="Figure 5" src="/files/ftp_upload/52599/52599fig5.jpg" /> 
Figure 5: Representative images of telomeric and centromeric FISH on FFPE mouse brain tissue and metaphase (inset). Red indicates DNA, green indicates telomere staining, and cyan indicates centromere staining. Scale bars indicate 1 mm.

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Utilizing Murine Inducible Telomerase Alleles in the Studies of Tissue Degeneration/Regeneration and Cancer

Telomere and telomerase play essential roles in ageing and tumorigenesis. The goal of this protocol is to show how to generate two murine inducible telomerase knock-in alleles and how to utilize them in the studies of tissue degeneration/regeneration and cancer.

Telomere dysfunction-induced loss of genome integrity and its associated DNA damage signaling and checkpoint responses are well-established drivers that ...

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Nanyang Technological University

Research

JoVE Journal

Medicine

10.3K Views.  UT MD Anderson Cancer Center. Telomere and telomerase play essential roles in ageing and tumorigenesis. The goal of this protocol is to show how to generate two murine inducible telomerase knock-in alleles and how to utilize them in the studies of tissue degeneration/regeneration and cancer. 

Video: Utilizing Murine Inducible Telomerase Alleles in the Studies of Tissue Degeneration/Regeneration and Cancer

Transduction-Transplantation Mouse Model of Myeloproliferative Neoplasm

Transduction-transplantation is a quick and efficient way to model human hematologic malignancies in mice. This technique results in expression of the gene of interest in hematopoietic cells and can be used to study the gene's role in normal and/or malignant hematopoiesis. This protocol provides a detailed description on how to perform transduction-transplantation using calreticulin (CALR) mutations recently identified in myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) as an example. In this protocol whole bone marrow cells from 5-flurouracil (5-FU) treated donor mice are transduced with a retrovirus encoding mutant CALR and transplanted into lethally irradiated syngeneic hosts. Donor cells expressing mutant CALR are marked with green fluorescent protein (GFP). Transplanted mice develop an MPN phenotype including elevated platelets in the peripheral blood, expansion of megakaryocytes in the bone marrow, and bone marrow fibrosis. We provide a step-by-step account of how to generate retrovirus, calculate viral titer, transduce whole bone marrow cells, and transplant into irradiated recipient mice.

This manuscript provides a description of the methodology used to establish transduction-transplantation mouse models. A detailed account is given of technical errors to avoid when performing bone marrow transplants. A clear understanding should be gained of the importance of high viral titer, transfection/transduction, and irradiation.

Transduction-transplantation is a quick and efficient way to model human hematologic malignancies in mice. This technique results in expression of the ...

Cancer Research

Identification and Characterization of Metastatic Factors by Gene Transfer into the Novel RIP-Tag; RIP-tva Murine Model

Metastatic cancer accounts for 90% of deaths in patients with solid tumors. There is an urgent need to better understand the drivers of cancer metastasis and to identify novel therapeutic targets. To investigate molecular events that drive the progression from primary cancer to metastasis, we have developed a bitransgenic mouse model, RIP-Tag; RIP-tva. In this mouse model, the rat insulin promoter (RIP) drives the expression of the SV40 T antigen (Tag) and the receptor for subgroup A avian leukosis virus (tva) in pancreatic &#946; cells. The mice develop pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors with 100% penetrance through well-defined stages that are similar to human tumorigenesis, with stages including hyperplasia, angiogenesis, adenoma, and invasive carcinoma. Because RIP-Tag; RIP-tva mice do not develop metastatic disease, genetic alterations that promote metastasis can be identified easily. Somatic gene transfer into tva-expressing, proliferating pancreatic &#946; premalignant lesions is achieved through intracardiac injection of avian retroviruses harboring the desired genetic alteration. A titer of &#62;1 x 108 infectious units per ml is considered appropriate for in vivo infection. In addition, avian retroviruses can infect cell lines derived from tumors in RIP-Tag; RIP-tva mice with high efficiency. The cell lines can also be used to characterize the metastatic factors. Here we demonstrate how to utilize this mouse model and cell lines to assess the functions of candidate genes in tumor metastasis.

Identification and Characterization of Metastatic Factors by Gene Transfer into the Novel RIP-Tag; RIP-tva Murine Model

We present a protocol to demonstrate a novel somatic gene transfer system utilizing RIP-Tag; RIP-tva mouse model to study the function of genes in metastasis. The avian retroviruses are delivered intracardiacally to ensure gene transfer into pre-malignant, noninvasive lesions of pancreatic &#946; cells in adult mice.

Metastatic cancer accounts for 90% of deaths in patients with solid tumors. There is an urgent need to better understand the drivers of cancer metastasis ...

Constitutive and Inducible Systems for Genetic In Vivo Modification of Mouse Hepatocytes Using Hydrodynamic Tail Vein Injection

In research models of liver cancer, regeneration, inflammation, and fibrosis, flexible systems for in vivo gene expression and silencing are highly useful. Hydrodynamic tail vein injection of transposon-based constructs is an efficient method for genetic manipulation of hepatocytes in adult mice. In addition to constitutive transgene expression, this system can be used for more advanced applications, such as shRNA-mediated gene knock-down, implication of the CRISPR/Cas9 system to induce gene mutations, or inducible systems. Here, the combination of constitutive CreER expression together with inducible expression of a transgene or miR-shRNA of choice is presented as an example of this technique. We cover the multi-step procedure starting from the preparation of sleeping beauty-transposon constructs, to the injection and treatment of mice, and the preparation of liver tissue for analysis by immunostaining. The system presented is a reliable and efficient approach to achieve complex genetic manipulations in hepatocytes. It is specifically useful in combination with Cre/loxP-based mouse strains and can be applied to a variety of models in the research of liver disease.

Constitutive and Inducible Systems for Genetic In Vivo Modification of Mouse Hepatocytes Using Hydrodynamic Tail Vein Injection

Hydrodynamic tail vein injection of transposon-based integration vectors enables stable transfection of murine hepatocytes in vivo. Here, we present a practical protocol for transfection systems that enables the long-term constitutive expression of a single transgene or combined constitutive and doxycycline-inducible expression of a transgene or miR-shRNA in the liver.

In research models of liver cancer, regeneration, inflammation, and fibrosis, flexible systems for in vivo gene expression and silencing are highly ...

Genetics

Generation of Cancer Cell Clones to Visualize Telomeric Repeat-containing RNA TERRA Expressed from a Single Telomere in Living Cells

Telomeres are transcribed, giving rise to telomeric repeat-containing long noncoding RNAs (TERRA), which have been proposed to play important roles in telomere biology, including heterochromatin formation and telomere length homeostasis. Recent findings revealed that TERRA molecules also interact with internal chromosomal regions to regulate gene expression in mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells. In line with this evidence, RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization (RNA-FISH) analyses have shown that only a subset of TERRA transcripts localize at chromosome ends. A better understanding of the dynamics of TERRA molecules will help define their function and mechanisms of action. Here, we describe a method to label and visualize single-telomere TERRA transcripts in cancer cells using the MS2-GFP system. To this aim, we present a protocol to generate stable clones, using the AGS human stomach cancer cell line, containing MS2 sequences integrated at a single subtelomere. Transcription of TERRA from the MS2-tagged telomere results in the expression of MS2-tagged TERRA molecules that are visualized by live-cell fluorescence microscopy upon co-expression of a MS2 RNA-binding protein fused to GFP (MS2-GFP). This approach enables researchers to study the dynamics of single-telomere TERRA molecules in cancer cells, and it can be applied to other cell lines.

Here, we present a protocol to generate cancer cell clones containing a MS2 sequence tag at a single subtelomere. This approach, relying on the MS2-GFP system, enables visualization of the endogenous transcripts of telomeric repeat-containing RNA (TERRA) expressed from a single telomere in living cells.

Telomeres are transcribed, giving rise to telomeric repeat-containing long noncoding RNAs (TERRA), which have been proposed to play important roles in ...

Transplantation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-derived Mesoangioblast-like Myogenic Progenitors in Mouse Models of Muscle Regeneration

Patient-derived iPSCs could be an invaluable source of cells for future autologous cell therapy protocols. iPSC-derived myogenic stem/progenitor cells similar to pericyte-derived mesoangioblasts (iPSC-derived mesoangioblast-like stem/progenitor cells: IDEMs) can be established from iPSCs generated from patients affected by different forms of muscular dystrophy. Patient-specific IDEMs can be genetically corrected with different strategies (e.g. lentiviral vectors, human artificial chromosomes) and enhanced in their myogenic differentiation potential upon overexpression of the myogenesis regulator MyoD. This myogenic potential is then assessed in vitro with specific differentiation assays and analyzed by immunofluorescence. The regenerative potential of IDEMs is further evaluated in vivo, upon intramuscular and intra-arterial transplantation in two representative mouse models displaying acute and chronic muscle regeneration. The contribution of IDEMs to the host skeletal muscle is then confirmed by different functional tests in transplanted mice. In particular, the amelioration of the motor capacity of the animals is studied with treadmill tests. Cell engraftment and differentiation are then assessed by a number of histological and immunofluorescence assays on transplanted muscles. Overall, this paper describes the assays and tools currently utilized to evaluate the differentiation capacity of IDEMs, focusing on the transplantation methods and subsequent outcome measures to analyze the efficacy of cell transplantation.

Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived myogenic progenitors are promising candidates for cell therapy strategies to treat muscular dystrophies. This protocol describes transplantation and functional measurements required to evaluate the engraftment and differentiation of iPSC-derived mesoangioblasts (a type of muscle progenitors) in mouse models of acute and chronic muscle regeneration.

Patient-derived iPSCs could be an invaluable source of cells for future autologous cell therapy protocols. iPSC-derived myogenic stem/progenitor cells ...

Bioengineering

Spatial and Temporal Control of Murine Melanoma Initiation from Mutant Melanocyte Stem Cells

Cutaneous melanoma is well known as the most aggressive skin cancer. Although the risk factors and major genetic alterations continue to be documented with increasing depth, the incidence rate of cutaneous melanoma has shown a rapid and continuous increase during recent decades. In order to find effective preventative methods, it is important to understand the early steps of melanoma initiation in the skin. Previous data has demonstrated that follicular melanocyte stem cells (MCSCs) in the adult skin tissues can act as melanoma cells of origin when expressing oncogenic mutations and genetic alterations. Tumorigenesis arising from melanoma-prone MCSCs can be induced when MCSCs transition from a quiescent to active state. This transition in melanoma-prone MCSCs can be promoted by the modulation of either hair follicle stem cells&#39; activity state or through extrinsic environmental factors such as ultraviolet-B (UV-B). These factors can be artificially manipulated in the laboratory by chemical depilation, which causes transition of hair follicle stem cells and MCSCs from a quiescent to active state, and by UV-B exposure using a benchtop light. These methods provide successful spatial and temporal control of cutaneous melanoma initiation in the murine dorsal skin. Therefore, these in vivo model systems will be valuable to define the early steps of cutaneous melanoma initiation and could be used to test potential methods for tumor prevention.

The following procedure describes a method for spatial and temporal control of melanocytic tumor initiation in murine dorsal skin, using a genetically engineered mouse model. This protocol describes macroscopic as well as microscopic cutaneous melanoma initiation.

Cutaneous melanoma is well known as the most aggressive skin cancer. Although the risk factors and major genetic alterations continue to be documented ...

A Murine Cell Line Based Model of Chronic CDK9 Inhibition to Study Widespread Non-Genetic Transcriptional Elongation Defects (TEdeff) in Cancers

We have previously reported that a subset of cancers is defined by global transcriptional deregulations with widespread deficiencies in mRNA transcription elongation (TE)&#8212;we call such cancers as TEdeff. Notably, TEdeff cancers are characterized by spurious transcription and faulty mRNA processing in a large set of genes, such as interferon/JAK/STAT and TNF/NF-&#954;B pathways, leading to their suppression. The TEdeff subtype of tumors in renal cell carcinoma and metastatic melanoma patients significantly correlate with poor response and outcome in immunotherapy. Given the importance of investigating TEdeff cancers&#8212;as it portends a significant roadblock against immunotherapy&#8212;the goal of this protocol is to establish an in vitro TEdeff mouse model to study these widespread, non-genetic transcriptional abnormalities in cancers and gain new insights, novel uses for existing drugs, or find new strategies against such cancers. We detail the use of chronic flavopiridol mediated CDK9 inhibition to abrogate phosphorylation of serine 2 residue on the C-terminal repeat domain (CTD) of RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II), suppressing the release of RNA Pol II into productive transcription elongation. Given that TEdeff cancers are not classified under any specific somatic mutation, a pharmacological model is advantageous, and best mimics the widespread transcriptional and epigenetic defects observed in them. The use of an optimized sublethal dose of flavopiridol is the only efficacious strategy in creating a generalizable model of non-genetic widespread disruption in transcription elongation and mRNA processing defects, closely mimicking the clinically observed TEdeff characteristics. Therefore, this model of TEdeff can be leveraged to dissect, cell-autonomous factors enabling them in resisting immune-mediated cell attack.

A Murine Cell Line Based Model of Chronic CDK9 Inhibition to Study Widespread Non-Genetic Transcriptional Elongation Defects TEdeff in Cancers

The protocol details an in vitro murine carcinoma model of non-genetic defective transcription elongation. Here, chronic inhibition of CDK9 is used to repress productive elongation of RNA Pol II along pro-inflammatory response genes to mimic and study the clinically observed TEdeff phenomenon, present in about 20% of all cancer types.

We have previously reported that a subset of cancers is defined by global transcriptional deregulations with widespread deficiencies in mRNA transcription ...

Telomerase Activity in the Various Regions of Mouse Brain: Non-Radioactive Telomerase Repeat Amplification Protocol (TRAP) Assay

Telomerase, a ribonucleoprotein, is responsible for maintaining the telomere length and therefore promoting genomic integrity, proliferation, and lifespan. In addition, telomerase protects the mitochondria from oxidative stress and confers resistance to apoptosis, suggesting its possible importance for the surviving of non-mitotic, highly active cells such as neurons. We previously demonstrated the ability of novel telomerase activators to increase telomerase activity and expression in the various mouse brain regions and to protect motor neurons cells from oxidative stress. These results strengthen the notion that telomerase is involved in the protection of neurons from various lesions. To underline the role of telomerase in the brain, we here compare the activity of telomerase in male and female mouse brain and its dependence on age. TRAP assay is a standard method for detecting telomerase activity in various tissues or cell lines. Here we demonstrate the analysis of telomerase activity in three regions of the mouse brain by non-denaturing protein extraction using CHAPS lysis buffer followed by modification of the standard TRAP assay.
In this 2-step assay, endogenous telomerase elongates a specific telomerase substrate (TS primer) by adding TTAGGG 6 bp repeats (telomerase reaction). The telomerase reaction products are amplified by PCR reaction creating a DNA ladder of 6 bp increments. The analysis of the DNA ladder is made by 4.5% high resolution agarose gel electrophoresis followed by staining with highly sensitive nucleic acid stain.
Compared to the traditional TRAP assay that utilize 32P labeled radioactive dCTP&#39;s for DNA detection and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis for resolving the DNA ladder, this protocol offers a non-toxic time saving TRAP assay for evaluating telomerase activity in the mouse brain, demonstrating the ability to detect differences in telomerase activity in the various female and male mouse brain region.

Telomerase Activity in the Various Regions of Mouse Brain: Non-Radioactive Telomerase Repeat Amplification Protocol TRAP Assay

Telomerase is expressed in the neonatal brain and also in distinct regions of the adult brain. We present a non-toxic time saving TRAP assay for the analysis of telomerase activity in various regions of the mouse brain and detection of differences in telomerase activity between male and female mouse brains.

Telomerase, a ribonucleoprotein, is responsible for maintaining the telomere length and therefore promoting genomic integrity, proliferation, and ...

Neuroscience

Isolation and Immortalization of Patient-derived Cell Lines from Muscle Biopsy for Disease Modeling

The generation of patient-specific cell lines represents an invaluable tool for diagnostic or translational research, and these cells can be collected from skin or muscle biopsy tissue available during the patient&#8217;s diagnostic workup. In this protocol, we describe a technique for live cell isolation from small amounts of muscle or skin tissue for primary cell culture. Additionally, we provide a technique for the immortalization of myogenic cell lines and fibroblast cell lines from primary cells. Once cell lines are immortalized, substantial expansion of patient-derived cells can be achieved. Immortalized cells are amenable to many downstream applications, including drug screening and in vitro correction of the genetic mutation. Altogether, these protocols provide a reliable tool to generate and preserve patient-derived cells for downstream applications.

This protocol describes techniques for live cell isolation and primary culture of myogenic and fibroblast cell lines from muscle or skin tissue. A technique for the immortalization of these cell lines is also described. Altogether, these protocols provide a reliable tool to generate and preserve patient-derived cells for downstream applications.

The generation of patient-specific cell lines represents an invaluable tool for diagnostic or translational research, and these cells can be collected ...

Retroviral Infection of Murine Embryonic Stem Cell Derived Embryoid Body Cells for Analysis of Hematopoietic Differentiation

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are an outstanding model for elucidating the molecular mechanisms of cellular differentiation. They are especially useful for investigating the development of early hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs). Gene expression in ESCs can be manipulated by several techniques that allow the role for individual molecules in development to be determined. One difficulty is that expression of specific genes often has different phenotypic effects dependent on their temporal expression. This problem can be circumvented by the generation of ESCs that inducibly express a gene of interest using technology such as the doxycycline-inducible transgene system. However, generation of these inducible cell lines is costly and time consuming. Described here is a method for disaggregating ESC-derived embryoid bodies (EBs) into single cell suspensions, retrovirally infecting the cell suspensions, and then reforming the EBs by hanging drop. Downstream differentiation is then evaluated by flow cytometry. Using this protocol, it was demonstrated that exogenous expression of a microRNA gene at the beginning of ESC differentiation blocks HPC generation. However, when expressed in EB derived cells after nascent mesoderm is produced, the microRNA gene enhances hematopoietic differentiation. This method is useful for investigating the role of genes after specific germ layer tissue is derived.

Manipulating temporal gene expression in differentiating embryonic stem cells (ESCs) can be achieved using inducible gene systems. However, generation of these cell lines is costly and time consuming. This protocol achieves rapid expression of a transgene in differentiating ES-derived cells and subsequent analysis of downstream hematopoietic differentiation.

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are an outstanding model for elucidating the molecular mechanisms of cellular differentiation. They are especially useful for ...

Utilizing Murine Inducible Telomerase Alleles in the Studies of Tissue Degeneration/Regeneration and Cancer

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