The Skeletal Muscle Biology and Cell Death Laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and uses the latest cellular and molecular approaches to study skeletal muscle signaling, structure, function, phenotype, and viability. We work with a variety of experimental models including primary cell cultures and cell lines, normal and transgenic mice, healthy and diseased rodents, and humans.
Cell culture facilities
The Skeletal Muscle Biology and Cell Death Laboratory has access to its own dedicated cell culture room equipped with cell culture hoods, CO2 incubators, inverted microscope, and automated cell size/count analyzer.
Sample image showing cultured myoblasts that have been differentiated to form multinucleated myotubes. Nuclei appear blue (DAPI), whereas myosin expression is shown in red.
Imaging cytometry, flow cytometry and cell sorting
The Skeletal Muscle Biology and Cell Death Laboratory has an in-house multicolor flow cytometer and cell sorter, as well as a multi-color imaging cytometer. This equipment is ideal for various types of cell analyses, cell sorting, organelle assays (mitochondria), cytokine analysis (multiplex beads), and high throughput imaging of various cellular structures and events.
Sample imaging cytometry data showing cells treated with an apoptosis-inducing agent (Camptothecein). Depicted is a brightfield image, as well as images for caspase-3 activation (Phi Phi Lux: green), phosphatidylserine externalization (Annexin V: Blue), DNA Fragmentation (Draq5: Red), and a cell composite. The ImageStream®X Mark II Imaging Flow Cytometer allows for high throughput quantitative analysis of cellular events, along with detailed imagery for easily identification of cellular events and populations of cells with distinct phenotypes.
Microscopy
The Skeletal Muscle Biology and Cell Death Laboratory has an in-house microscopy suite equipped with brightfield and fluorescent microscopes providing immunofluorescent (widefield, structured illumination, laser confocal) and immunohistochemical imaging. In addition, live-cell imaging is available through a stage-top incubation system. Sample preparation (cryostat) and staining equipment are also available.
Panel A and B are muscle cross-sections incubated concurrently with primary antibodies against MHCI and MHCIIa showing type I (blue), type IIA (green), and type I/IIA (blue and green) fibers. Panel C and D are muscle cross-section showing type IIA (green), type IIX (purple), and type IIAX (green and purple) fibers. Panel E and F are muscle serial cross-sections showing type IIX (purple), type IIB (red), and type IIXB (purple and red) fibers.
High-resolution respirometry, cell imaging, protein and gene analysis
The Skeletal Muscle Biology and Cell Death Laboratory is equipped with numerous additional pieces of equipment that allow for a variety of analyses and experiments to be conducted. Some of the equipment available including, high-resolution respirometer, plate cell imager, gel documentation systems, HPLC systems, real-time PCR systems, a nanodrop spectrophotometer, thermocyclers, plate spectrophotometer, plate spectrofluorometer, a muscle biophysics system, animal surgical equipment, and rodent treadmills.