Molecular Expression and Morphology

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Core C facility provides state of the art molecular biological and morphological support to investigators and their staff as well as new investigators collecting data for future directions of the PPG. The molecular component has developed RT-PCR protocols for enzymatically dispersed, isolated smooth muscle and ICCs with green reporters to identify transcript expression within these specific cell types within the tunica muscularis of several animal species including humans. The Core continually performs RT-PCR to verify the identity of cell populations within the tunica muscularis that have been purified by fluorescent-activated cell sorting (FACS; conducted by Core B). These analyses have been extended to include real-time PCR analysis of specific transcript expression in these cell populations. The Core provides routine genotyping of transgenic animals for all applicable projects, designs and tests primers for RT-PCR and constructs vectors for proposed experiments. The Core also continues to provide day to day maintenance of genomic clones, cDNAs and cultures for molecular biological investigations. The core provides DNA sequence analysis of clones and amplification products and provides support with mammalian cell lines expressing various project specific cDNAs for several ion channels and receptors. The morphology component of the Core continues to provide expertise in the areas of conventional light microscopy, phase contrast microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, laser scanning confocal microscopy, digital imaging, transmission electron microscopy, in-situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry and immunocytochemistry, to support individual projects that have the need to utilize these techniques. This component holds a high standard and is continually developing novel approaches to determine cellular numbers and volumes within the tunica muscularis. New protocols and alogrithims in combination with confocal microscopy and deconvolution have set new standards for the quantitiative analysis of cells types within the gut wall including enteric nerves and ICC populations. Appropriate quantatitive structural and ultrascructural analysis of cells will provide valuable information of changes which occur in different cell types within the in gut wall in health and disease.