Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
7233705 | Biosensors and Bioelectronics | 2013 | 7 Pages |
Abstract
The propagation of intercellular calcium wave (ICW) is essential for coordinating cellular activities in multicellular organisms. However, the limitations of existing analytical methods hamper the studies of this biological process in live animals. In this paper, we demonstrated for the first time a novel microfluidic system with an open chamber for on-chip microinjection of C. elegans and investigation of ICW propagations in vivo. Worms were long-term immobilized on the side wall of the open chamber by suction. Using an external micro-manipulator, localized chemical stimulation was delivered to single intestinal cells of the immobilized worms by microinjection. The calcium dynamics in the intestinal cells expressing Ca2+ indicator YC2.12 was simultaneously monitored by fluorescence imaging. As a result, thapsigargin injection induced ICW was observed in the intestinal cells of C. elegans. Further analysis of the ICW propagation was realized in the presence of heparin (an inhibitor for IP3 receptor), which allowed us to investigate the mechanism underlying intercellular calcium signaling. We expect this novel microfluidic platform to be a useful tool for studying cell-cell communication in multicellular organisms in vivo.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Chemistry
Analytical Chemistry
Authors
Xingfu Zhao, Fei Xu, Lichun Tang, Wei Du, Xiaojun Feng, Bi-Feng Liu,