A Method for Organoid Transplantation and Whole-Mount Visualization of Post-Engraftment Vascularization

• Published in: Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.) Vol. 2258; p. 259
• Main Authors: Emerson, Amy E, Slaby, Emily M, Weaver, Jessica D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 2021
• Subjects: Angiogenesis Inducing Agents - pharmacology; Animals; Cell Culture Techniques; Cells, Cultured; Genes, Reporter; Green Fluorescent Proteins - biosynthesis; Green Fluorescent Proteins - genetics; Hydrogels; Islets of Langerhans - blood supply; Islets of Langerhans - metabolism; Islets of Langerhans Transplantation; Maleimides - chemistry; Mice; Microscopy, Confocal; Neovascularization, Physiologic - drug effects; Organoids - blood supply; Organoids - metabolism; Organoids - transplantation; Polyethylene Glycols - chemistry; Rats; Tissue Engineering; Tissue Fixation; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - pharmacology; Engraftment; Transplantation; Organoids; Vascularization
• ISSN: 1940-6029
• DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1174-6_17

As the field of organoid development matures, the need to transplant organoids to evaluate and characterize their functionality grows. Decades of research developing islet organoid transplantation for the treatment of type 1 diabetes can contribute substantially to accelerating diverse tissue organoid transplantation. Biomaterials-based organoid delivery methods offer the potential to maximize organoid survival and engraftment. In this protocol, we describe a vasculogenic degradable hydrogel vehicle and a method to deliver organoids to intraperitoneal tissue. Further, we describe a method to fluorescently label and image functional vasculature within the graft as a tool to investigate organoid engraftment.