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Langner E, Puapatanakul P, Pudlowski R, Alsabbagh DY, Miner JH, Horani A, Dutcher SK, Brody SL, Wang JT, Suleiman HY, Mahjoub MR. Ultrastructure expansion microscopy (U-ExM) of mouse and human kidneys for analysis of subcellular structures. Cytoskeleton (Hoboken) 2024; 81:618-638. [PMID: 38715433 PMCID: PMC11540979 DOI: 10.1002/cm.21870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
Ultrastructure expansion microscopy (U-ExM) involves the physical magnification of specimens embedded in hydrogels, which allows for super-resolution imaging of subcellular structures using a conventional diffraction-limited microscope. Methods for expansion microscopy exist for several organisms, organs, and cell types, and used to analyze cellular organelles and substructures in nanoscale resolution. Here, we describe a simple step-by-step U-ExM protocol for the expansion, immunostaining, imaging, and analysis of cytoskeletal and organellar structures in kidney tissue. We detail the critical modified steps to optimize isotropic kidney tissue expansion, and preservation of the renal cell structures of interest. We demonstrate the utility of the approach using several markers of renal cell types, centrioles, cilia, the extracellular matrix, and other cytoskeletal elements. Finally, we show that the approach works well on mouse and human kidney samples that were preserved using different fixation and embedding conditions. Overall, this protocol provides a simple and cost-effective approach to analyze both preclinical and clinical renal samples in high detail, using conventional lab supplies and standard widefield or confocal microscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa Langner
- Department of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Pongpratch Puapatanakul
- Department of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Rachel Pudlowski
- Department of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | | | - Jeffrey H Miner
- Department of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Amjad Horani
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Susan K Dutcher
- Department of Genetics, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Steven L Brody
- Department of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Jennifer T Wang
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Hani Y Suleiman
- Department of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Moe R Mahjoub
- Department of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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Langner E, Puapatanakul P, Pudlowski R, Alsabbagh DY, Miner JH, Horani A, Dutcher SK, Brody SL, Wang JT, Suleiman HY, Mahjoub MR. Ultrastructure expansion microscopy (U-ExM) of mouse and human kidneys for analysis of subcellular structures. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.16.580708. [PMID: 38405695 PMCID: PMC10889020 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.16.580708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Ultrastructure expansion microscopy (U-ExM) involves the physical magnification of specimens embedded in hydrogels, which allows for super-resolution imaging of subcellular structures using a conventional diffraction-limited microscope. Methods for expansion microscopy exist for several organisms, organs, and cell types, and used to analyze cellular organelles and substructures in nanoscale resolution. Here, we describe a simple step-by-step U-ExM protocol for the expansion, immunostaining, imaging, and analysis of cytoskeletal and organellar structures in kidney tissue. We detail the critical modified steps to optimize isotropic kidney tissue expansion, and preservation of the renal cell structures of interest. We demonstrate the utility of the approach using several markers of renal cell types, centrioles, cilia, the extracellular matrix, and other cytoskeletal elements. Finally, we show that the approach works well on mouse and human kidney samples that were preserved using different fixation and storage conditions. Overall, this protocol provides a simple and cost-effective approach to analyze both pre-clinical and clinical renal samples in high detail, using conventional lab supplies and standard widefield or confocal microscopy.
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