Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 23, 2025
Investigating Intestinal Barrier Breakdown in Living Organoids
Published on: March 26, 2020
A permeability assay for mouse intestinal organoids
Stijn Aaron den Daas1,2, Ugo Soffientini1,2, Shilpa Chokshi1,2
1Roger Williams Institute of Hepatology, Foundation for Liver Research, London SE5 9NT, UK.
Here, we describe an assay for intestinal permeability in mouse intestinal organoids, although this may also be adapted for other species. Propidium iodide (PI) does not penetrate intact biological membranes and thus cannot enter the lumen of intact organoids. Passage of PI within the lumen can be induced by tight junction disruption or epithelial cell death. This technique measures PI-stained extruded dead cells within the organoid lumen to analyze the effect of insults, toxins, or treatments on intestinal organoid permeability.
Here, we describe an assay for intestinal permeability in mouse intestinal organoids, although this may also be adapted for other species. Propidium iodide (PI) does not penetrate intact biological membranes and thus cannot enter the lumen of intact organoids. Passage of PI within the lumen can be induced by tight junction disruption or epithelial cell death. This technique measures PI-stained extruded dead cells within the organoid lumen to analyze the effect of insults, toxins, or treatments on intestinal organoid permeability.
