Isolation of mitochondria-associated ER membranes (MAMs) and glycosphingolipid-enriched microdomains (GEMs) from brain tissues and neuronal cells

Methods Mol Biol. 2015:1264:25-33. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-2257-4_3.

Abstract

Subcellular fractionation is a valuable procedure in cell biology to separate and purify various subcellular constituents from one another, i.e., nucleus, cytosol, membranes/organelles, and cytoskeleton. The procedure relies on the use of differential centrifugation of cell and tissue homogenates, but additional purification steps now permit the isolation of inter-organellar membrane contact sites. Here, we outline a protocol tailored for the isolation of mitochondria, mitochondria-associated ER membranes (MAMs) and glycosphingolipid-enriched microdomains (GEMs) from the adult mouse brain, primary neurospheres, and murine embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs).

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain / metabolism*
  • Cell Fractionation / methods*
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum / chemistry
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum / metabolism*
  • Glycosphingolipids / chemistry
  • Glycosphingolipids / metabolism*
  • Intracellular Membranes / chemistry
  • Intracellular Membranes / metabolism*
  • Membrane Microdomains / chemistry
  • Membrane Microdomains / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mitochondria / chemistry
  • Mitochondria / metabolism*
  • Mitochondria / ultrastructure

Substances

  • Glycosphingolipids