SPLASSH: Open source software for camera-based high-speed, multispectral in-vivo optical image acquisition

Advanced maturation of human cardiac tissue grown from pluripotent stem cells

Cardiac tissues generated from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can serve as platforms for patient-specific studies of physiology and disease1-6. However, the predictive power of these models is presently limited by the immature state of the cells1, 2, 5, 6. Here we show that this fundamental limitation can be overcome if cardiac tissues are formed from early-stage iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes soon after the initiation of spontaneous contractions and are subjected to physical conditioning with increasing intensity over time. After only four weeks of culture, for all iPSC lines studied, such tissues displayed adult-like gene expression profiles, remarkably organized ultrastructure, physiological sarcomere length (2.2 µm) and density of mitochondria (30%), the presence of transverse tubules, oxidative metabolism, a positive force-frequency relationship and functional calcium handling. Electromechanical properties developed more slowly and did not achieve the stage of maturity seen in adult human myocardium. Tissue maturity was necessary for achieving physiological responses to isoproterenol and recapitulating pathological hypertrophy, supporting the utility of this tissue model for studies of cardiac development and disease.

Bioreactor model of neuromuscular junction with electrical stimulation for pharmacological potency testing

In vitro models of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) are emerging as a valuable tool to study synaptogenesis, synaptic maintenance, and pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. Many models have previously been developed using a variety of cell sources for skeletal muscle and motoneurons. These models can advanced by integrating beneficial features of the native developmental milieu of the NMJ. We created a functional in vitro model of NMJ by bioreactor cultivation of transdifferentiated myocytes and stem cell-derived motoneurons, in the presence of electrical stimulation. In conjunction with a coculture medium, electrical stimulation resulted in improved maturation and function of motoneurons and myocytes, as evidenced by mature cellular structures, increased expression of neuronal and muscular genes, clusterization of acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) in the vicinity of motoneurons, and the response to glutamate stimulation. To validate the model and demonstrate its utility for pharmacological testing, we documented the potency of drugs that affect key pathways during NMJ signal transduction: (i) acetylcholine (ACh) synthesis, (ii) ACh vesicular storage, (iii) ACh synaptic release, (iv) AChR activation, and (v) ACh inactivation in the synaptic cleft. The model properly responded to the drugs in a concentration-dependent manner. We thus propose that this in vitro model of NMJ could be used as a platform in pharmacological screening and controlled studies of neuromuscular diseases.

Wide-field optical mapping of neural activity and brain haemodynamics: considerations and novel approaches

Although modern techniques such as two-photon microscopy can now provide cellular-level three-dimensional imaging of the intact living brain, the speed and fields of view of these techniques remain limited. Conversely, two-dimensional wide-field optical mapping (WFOM), a simpler technique that uses a camera to observe large areas of the exposed cortex under visible light, can detect changes in both neural activity and haemodynamics at very high speeds. Although WFOM may not provide single-neuron or capillary-level resolution, it is an attractive and accessible approach to imaging large areas of the brain in awake, behaving mammals at speeds fast enough to observe widespread neural firing events, as well as their dynamic coupling to haemodynamics. Although such wide-field optical imaging techniques have a long history, the advent of genetically encoded fluorophores that can report neural activity with high sensitivity, as well as modern technologies such as light emitting diodes and sensitive and high-speed digital cameras have driven renewed interest in WFOM. To facilitate the wider adoption and standardization of WFOM approaches for neuroscience and neurovascular coupling research, we provide here an overview of the basic principles of WFOM, considerations for implementation of wide-field fluorescence imaging of neural activity, spectroscopic analysis and interpretation of results.

This article is part of the themed issue ‘Interpreting BOLD: a dialogue between cognitive and cellular neuroscience’.

Autonomous beating rate adaptation in human stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes

The therapeutic success of human stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes critically depends on their ability to respond to and integrate with the surrounding electromechanical environment. Currently, the immaturity of human cardiomyocytes derived from stem cells limits their utility for regenerative medicine and biological research. We hypothesize that biomimetic electrical signals regulate the intrinsic beating properties of cardiomyocytes. Here we show that electrical conditioning of human stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes in three-dimensional culture promotes cardiomyocyte maturation, alters their automaticity and enhances connexin expression. Cardiomyocytes adapt their autonomous beating rate to the frequency at which they were stimulated, an effect mediated by the emergence of a rapidly depolarizing cell population, and the expression of hERG. This rate-adaptive behaviour is long lasting and transferable to the surrounding cardiomyocytes. Thus, electrical conditioning may be used to promote cardiomyocyte maturation and establish their automaticity, with implications for cell-based reduction of arrhythmia during heart regeneration.

A microcontroller platform for the rapid prototyping of functional electrical stimulation-based gait neuroprostheses

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) has been used over the last decades as a method to rehabilitate lost motor functions of individuals with spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, and post-stroke hemiparesis. Within this field, researchers in need of developing FES-based control solutions for specific disabilities often have to choose between either the acquisition and integration of high-performance industry-level systems, which are rather expensive and hardly portable, or develop custom-made portable solutions, which despite their lower cost, usually require expert-level electronic skills. Here, a flexible low-cost microcontroller-based platform for rapid prototyping of FES neuroprostheses is presented, designed for reduced execution complexity, development time, and production cost. For this reason, the Arduino open-source microcontroller platform was used, together with off-the-shelf components whenever possible. The developed system enables the rapid deployment of portable FES-based gait neuroprostheses, being flexible enough to allow simple open-loop strategies but also more complex closed-loop solutions. The system is based on a modular architecture that allows the development of optimized solutions depending on the desired FES applications, even though the design and testing of the platform were focused toward drop foot correction. The flexibility of the system was demonstrated using two algorithms targeting drop foot condition within different experimental setups. Successful bench testing of the device in healthy subjects demonstrated these neuroprosthesis platform capabilities to correct drop foot.

Direct, intraoperative observation of ~0.1 Hz hemodynamic oscillations in awake human cortex: implications for fMRI

An almost sinusoidal, large amplitude ~0.1 Hz oscillation in cortical hemodynamics has been repeatedly observed in species ranging from mice to humans. However, the occurrence of 'slow sinusoidal hemodynamic oscillations' (SSHOs) in human functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies is rarely noted or considered. As a result, little investigation into the cause of SSHOs has been undertaken, and their potential to confound fMRI analysis, as well as their possible value as a functional biomarker has been largely overlooked. Here, we report direct observation of large-amplitude, sinusoidal ~0.1 Hz hemodynamic oscillations in the cortex of an awake human undergoing surgical resection of a brain tumor. Intraoperative multispectral optical intrinsic signal imaging (MS-OISI) revealed that SSHOs were spatially localized to distinct regions of the cortex, exhibited wave-like propagation, and involved oscillations in the diameter of specific pial arterioles, indicating that the effect was not the result of systemic blood pressure oscillations. fMRI data collected from the same subject 4 days prior to surgery demonstrates that ~0.1 Hz oscillations in the BOLD signal can be detected around the same region. Intraoperative optical imaging data from a patient undergoing epilepsy surgery, in whom sinusoidal oscillations were not observed, is shown for comparison. This direct observation of the '0.1 Hz wave' in the awake human brain, using both intraoperative imaging and pre-operative fMRI, confirms that SSHOs occur in the human brain, and can be detected by fMRI. We discuss the possible physiological basis of this oscillation and its potential link to brain pathologies, highlighting its relevance to resting-state fMRI and its potential as a novel target for functional diagnosis and delineation of neurological disease.

Calcium imaging of infrared-stimulated activity in rodent brain

Infrared neural stimulation (INS) is a promising neurostimulation technique that can activate neural tissue with high spatial precision and without the need for exogenous agents. However, little is understood about how infrared light interacts with neural tissue on a cellular level, particularly within the living brain. In this study, we use calcium sensitive dye imaging on macroscopic and microscopic scales to explore the spatiotemporal effects of INS on cortical calcium dynamics. The INS-evoked calcium signal that was observed exhibited a fast and slow component suggesting activation of multiple cellular mechanisms. The slow component of the evoked signal exhibited wave-like properties suggesting network activation, and was verified to originate from astrocytes through pharmacology and 2-photon imaging. We also provide evidence that the fast calcium signal may have been evoked through modulation of glutamate transients. This study demonstrates that pulsed infrared light can induce intracellular calcium modulations in both astrocytes and neurons, providing new insights into the mechanisms of action of INS in the brain.

Dual-mode laparoscopic fluorescence image-guided surgery using a single camera

Iatrogenic nerve damage is a leading cause of morbidity associated with many common surgical procedures. Complications arising from these injuries may result in loss of function and/or sensation, muscle atrophy, and chronic neuropathy. Fluorescence image-guided surgery offers a potential solution for avoiding intraoperative nerve damage by highlighting nerves that are otherwise difficult to visualize. In this work we present the development of a single camera, dual-mode laparoscope that provides near simultaneous display of white-light and fluorescence images of nerves. The capability of the instrumentation is demonstrated through imaging several types of in situ rat nerves via a nerve specific contrast agent. Full color white light and high brightness fluorescence images and video of nerves as small as 100 µm in diameter are presented.

Compact Fluorescence and White Light Imaging System for Intraoperative Visualization of Nerves

Fluorescence image guided surgery (FIGS) allows intraoperative visualization of critical structures, with applications spanning neurology, cardiology and oncology. An unmet clinical need is prevention of iatrogenic nerve damage, a major cause of post-surgical morbidity. Here we describe the advancement of FIGS imaging hardware, coupled with a custom nerve-labeling fluorophore (GE3082), to bring FIGS nerve imaging closer to clinical translation. The instrument is comprised of a 405 nm laser and a white light LED source for excitation and illumination. A single 90 gram color CCD camera is coupled to a 10 mm surgical laparoscope for image acquisition. Synchronization of the light source and camera allows for simultaneous visualization of reflected white light and fluorescence using only a single camera. The imaging hardware and contrast agent were evaluated in rats during in situ surgical procedures.