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Isolation of Intact, Whole Mouse Mammary Glands for Analysis of Extracellular Matrix Expression and Gland Morphology
Published on: October 30, 2017
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Hyaluronan Isolation from Mouse Mammary Gland
Cornelia Tolg1, Mary Cowman2, Eva A Turley1,3
1London Regional Cancer Program, London Health Sciences Centre, Victoria Hospital, London ON, Canada.
Bio-Protocol
|July 21, 2021
Summary
Hyaluronan (HA) size impacts cell behavior; fragmented HA promotes inflammation, while high molecular weight HA suppresses it. Analyzing HA size distribution is crucial for understanding its role in tissue health and disease.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Cell Biology
- Extracellular Matrix Research
Background:
- Hyaluronan (HA), a glycosaminoglycan, is vital to the extracellular matrix.
- HA exhibits molecular weight heterogeneity, influencing cellular responses.
- Size-dependent effects of HA range from pro-inflammatory signaling (fragmented HA) to anti-inflammatory actions (high molecular weight HA).
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a protocol for isolating hyaluronan (HA) from biological tissues.
- To enable the analysis of HA size distribution for research into tissue homeostasis and pathology.
- To provide a method applicable to mouse mammary glands and other tissues.
Main Methods:
- Isolation of hyaluronan (HA) from mouse mammary glands.
- Protocol adaptable for various tissue types.
- Quality assessment of isolated HA suitable for gel electrophoresis.
Main Results:
- Successful isolation of HA from mouse mammary glands.
- Isolated HA quality is adequate for size distribution analysis.
- The protocol provides a foundation for studying HA's role in biological processes.
Conclusions:
- Accurate analysis of HA size distribution is essential for understanding its physiological and pathological roles.
- This protocol facilitates the study of HA's size-dependent effects on cell behavior.
- The method supports research into tissue homeostasis and inflammatory processes involving HA.
