Fluorescent tag | EPFL Graph Search

In molecular biology and biotechnology, a fluorescent tag, also known as a fluorescent label or fluorescent probe, is a molecule that is attached chemically to aid in the detection of a biomolecule such as a protein, antibody, or amino acid. Generally, fluorescent tagging, or labeling, uses a reactive derivative of a fluorescent molecule known as a fluorophore. The fluorophore selectively binds to a specific region or functional group on the target molecule and can be attached chemically or biologically. Various labeling techniques such as enzymatic labeling, protein labeling, and genetic labeling are widely utilized. Ethidium bromide, fluorescein and green fluorescent protein are common tags. The most commonly labelled molecules are antibodies, proteins, amino acids and peptides which are then used as specific probes for detection of a particular target. History The development of methods to detect and identify biomolecules has been motivated by the

Multidisciplinary Investigation of the Gut-Brain Ecosystem in a Model of Alzheimer's Disease

Arielle Louise Planchette

The search for an understanding of the causal elements that lead to neurodegenerative diseases has motivated researchers for decades. Today, Alzheimer's disease is the most prevalent form of dementia and affects approximately fifty million people worldwide, with only 5% of patients carrying causal genetic mutations. In recent years, studies of animal models as well as observations in humans have brought the gut microbiome to the forefront of AD research, as a significant contributor to the development of Alzheimer's disease. In fact, the gut microbiome is now understood to be a modulator of health and disease in numerous areas of physiology, including energy metabolism, immunity, endocrinology, and most relevant to this thesis, brain health and cognition. The gut microbiome is a complex environment composed of symbiotic bacteria, fungi and viruses (the microbiota) that produce a wide range of signalling molecules that are interpreted both by members of the microbiota and by the host (the microbiome). The host-gut interface is an ecosystem that consists of bi-directional signals and pressures applied by both constituents in order to maintain symbiotic homeostasis. Significant deleterious effects on health occur when homeostasis is lost, which may take place due to a variety of factors. These include host genetic factors and environmental factors, such as diet. Modulation of the gut microbiome has become a potentially viable therapeutic avenue for Alzheimer's disease, though it currently remains at the early stage of discovery. In this thesis, I characterize the evolution of Alzheimer's disease in the 5xFAD mouse model, with a focus on the gut microbiome and on cognitive decline and brain biochemistry. Gut microbiota modulaiton was implemented using germ-free and low-complexity bacterial cocktails, in which I outline the effects microbiota modulation on hallmarks of AD and provide insights into the metabolite profile of the brain altered by the microbiota and AD. The work in this thesis was equally motivated by the development of diagnostic tools using microscopy techniques. Biochemical assessments of disease status and progression provide information pertaining to "what" is interacting and "how much" this affects disease. With microscopy, we may gain the additional knowledge of "where" physiological constituents are and how they interact with the surrounding environment. I describe a novel multi-modal microscopy pipeline that enables the observation of signals of interest in large volumes and at high resolution with a capacity to cross-reference regions of interest in both modalities. The pipeline, known as gutOPT, consists of a sample preparation workflow compatible with mesoscale optical projection tomography (OPT) of fluorescently-labelled targets and subsequent imaging of pre-selected regions of interest in high-resolution modalities, such as confocal microscopy.

EPFL2022

Dielectric Metasurfaces Enabling Advanced Optical Biosensors

Hatice Altug, Aleksandrs Leitis, Ming-Lun Tseng

Dielectric metasurfaces have emerged as a powerful platform for novel optical biosensors. Due to their low optical loss and strong light-matter interaction, they demonstrate several exotic optical properties, including sharp resonances, strong nearfield enhancements, and the compelling capability to support magnetic modes. They also show advantages such as CMOS-compatible fabrication processes and lower resonance-induced heating compared to their plasmonic counterparts. These unique characteristics are enabling the advancement of cutting-edge sensing techniques for new applications. In this Perspective, we review the recent progress of dielectric metasurface sensors. First, the working mechanisms and properties of dielectric metasurfaces are briefly introduced by highlighting several state-of-the-art examples. Next, we describe the application of dielectric metasurfaces for label-free sensing in three different detection schemes, namely, refractometric sensing, surface-enhanced spectroscopy through Raman scattering and infrared absorption, and chiral sensing. Finally, we provide a perspective for the future directions of this exciting research field.

AMER CHEMICAL SOC2021

Optical projection tomography for rapid whole mouse brain imaging

Jérôme Extermann, Theo Lasser, Antonio Lopez, Paul James Marchand, David Nguyen, Julia Sophie Katarina Nilsson, Arielle Louise Planchette, Miguel Sison, Jessica Sordet-Dessimoz, Marcin Antoni Sylwestrzak, Dimitri Nestor Alice Van De Ville

In recent years, three-dimensional mesoscopic imaging has gained significant importance in life sciences for fundamental studies at the whole-organ level. In this manuscript, we present an optical projection tomography (OPT) method designed for imaging of the intact mouse brain. The system features an isotropic resolution of ~50 μm and an acquisition time of four to eight minutes, using a 3-day optimized clearing protocol. Imaging of the brain autofluorescence in 3D reveals details of the neuroanatomy, while the use of fluorescent labels displays the vascular network and amyloid deposition in 5xFAD mice, an important model of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Finally, the OPT images are compared with histological slices.

Optical Soc Amer2017

Multidisciplinary Investigation of the Gut-Brain Ecosystem in a Model of Alzheimer's Disease

Arielle Louise Planchette

EPFL2022