Transcardial injection and vascular distribution of microalgae in Xenopus laevis as means to supply the brain with photosynthetic oxygen

Suzan Özugur; Myra N Chávez; Rosario Sanchez-Gonzalez; Lars Kunz; Jörg Nickelsen; Hans Straka

doi:10.1016/j.xpro.2022.101250

Transcardial injection and vascular distribution of microalgae in Xenopus laevis as means to supply the brain with photosynthetic oxygen

STAR Protoc. 2022 Mar 17;3(2):101250. doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2022.101250. eCollection 2022 Jun 17.

Authors

Suzan Özugur^{1

2}, Myra N Chávez¹, Rosario Sanchez-Gonzalez¹, Lars Kunz¹, Jörg Nickelsen¹, Hans Straka¹

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Großhaderner Str. 2, 82152 Planegg, Germany.
² Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Großhaderner Str. 2, 82152 Planegg, Germany.

Abstract

Oxygen in vertebrates is generally provided through respiratory organs and blood vessels. This protocol describes transcardial injection, vascular distribution, and accumulation of phototrophic microalgae in the brain of Xenopus laevis tadpoles. Following tissue isolation, oxygen dynamics and neuronal activity are recorded in semi-intact whole-head preparations. Illumination of such microalgae-filled preparations triggers the photosynthetic production of oxygen in the brain that, under hypoxic conditions, rescues neuronal activity. This technology is potentially able to ameliorate consequences of hypoxia under pathological conditions. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Özugur et al. (2021).

Keywords: Biotechnology and bioengineering; Microscopy; Model Organisms; Neuroscience; Plant sciences.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Brain
Microalgae*
Neurons
Oxygen
Xenopus laevis

Substances

Oxygen