Fluidics system for resolving concentration-dependent effects of dissolved gases on tissue metabolism
Abstract
Oxygen (O2) and other dissolved gases such as the gasotransmitters H2S, CO and NO affect cell metabolism and function. To evaluate effects of dissolved gases on processes in tissue, we developed a fluidics system that controls dissolved gases while simultaneously measuring parameters of electron transport, metabolism and secretory function. We use pancreatic islets, retina and liver from rodents to highlight its ability to assess effects of O2 and H2S. Protocols aimed at emulating hypoxia-reperfusion conditions resolved a previously unrecognized transient spike in O2 consumption rate (OCR) following replenishment of O2, and tissue-specific recovery of OCR following hypoxia. The system revealed both inhibitory and stimulatory effects of H2S on insulin secretion rate from isolated islets. The unique ability of this new system to quantify metabolic state and cell function in response to precise changes in dissolved gases provides a powerful platform for cell physiologists to study a wide range of disease states.
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Author details
Funding
National Science Foundation (1853066)
- Brian M Robbings
- James B Hurley
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (DK17047)
- Ian R Sweet
National Eye Institute (EY006641)
- James B Hurley
- Ian R Sweet
The funders had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.
Ethics
Animal experimentation: This study was performed in strict accordance with the recommendations in the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals of the National Institutes of Health. All of the animals were handled according to approved institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC) protocols (#4091-01) of the University of Washington. All surgery was performed under sodium pentobarbital anesthesia, and every effort was made to minimize suffering.
Copyright
© 2021, Kamat et al.
This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permitting unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.
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Further reading
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- Cell Biology
- Developmental Biology
Eukaryotic cells depend on exocytosis to direct intracellularly synthesized material toward the extracellular space or the plasma membrane, so exocytosis constitutes a basic function for cellular homeostasis and communication between cells. The secretory pathway includes biogenesis of secretory granules (SGs), their maturation and fusion with the plasma membrane (exocytosis), resulting in release of SG content to the extracellular space. The larval salivary gland of Drosophila melanogaster is an excellent model for studying exocytosis. This gland synthesizes mucins that are packaged in SGs that sprout from the trans-Golgi network and then undergo a maturation process that involves homotypic fusion, condensation, and acidification. Finally, mature SGs are directed to the apical domain of the plasma membrane with which they fuse, releasing their content into the gland lumen. The exocyst is a hetero-octameric complex that participates in tethering of vesicles to the plasma membrane during constitutive exocytosis. By precise temperature-dependent gradual activation of the Gal4-UAS expression system, we have induced different levels of silencing of exocyst complex subunits, and identified three temporarily distinctive steps of the regulated exocytic pathway where the exocyst is critically required: SG biogenesis, SG maturation, and SG exocytosis. Our results shed light on previously unidentified functions of the exocyst along the exocytic pathway. We propose that the exocyst acts as a general tethering factor in various steps of this cellular process.