The Indian Muntjac epidermal cell line was initiated in 1969 from the tissue of an adult male member of the species Muntiacus muntjak vaginalis obtained via a skin biopsy. The normal (non-transformed) fibroblast line is commonly utilized to facilitate chromosomal research.

Indian Muntjac cells are known to be susceptible to a variety of viruses, including vesicular stomatitis, (Indiana strain), herpes simplex, and vaccinia. The cells demonstrate resistance to poliovirus 1 and are negative for reverse transcriptase. Testing indicates that the Indian Muntjac deer skin fibroblast line produces detectable bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) antigens and infectious BVDV virions.

No other mammal possesses as few diploid chromosomes as the Indian Muntjac. Male Indian Muntjacs have seven large chromosomes, and the females only retain six chromosomes. Their small number and considerable size render cell lines established from Indian Muntjacs well suited for investigations focusing on the process of mitosis. In the burgeoning field of telomere biology, Indian Muntjac cells are often used as a model system. Telomere research has become increasingly popular in recent years as scientists attempt to develop a better understanding of cancer, which involves cells being able to overcome the phenomenon of chromosomal telomere shortening.

The peroxisomes and intermediate filaments in an Indian muntjac fibroblast cell culture (shown above) were immunofluorescently labeled with Alexa Fluor 750 conjugated to goat secondary antibody fragments directed against rabbit primary antibodies to peroxisomal membrane protein 70 (PMP 70) and Alexa Fluor 647 conjugated to secondary antibody fragments against mouse primary antibodies to vimentin. In addition, the culture was labeled for F-actin with Alexa Fluor 488 conjugated to phalloidin and the mitochondrial network with MitoTracker Red CMXRos. Cell nuclei were visualized with Hoechst 33248. Images were recorded in grayscale with a 12-bit digital camera coupled to either a Nikon E-600 or Eclipse 80i microscope equipped with bandpass emission fluorescence filter optical blocks. During the processing stage, individual image channels were pseudocolored with RGB values corresponding to each of the fluorophore emission spectral profiles.

Subcellular Localization of Mitochondria in Muntjac Cells with DsRed Fluorescent Protein - An adherent culture of Indian Muntjac deer skin cells was transfected with a pDsRed-Mitochondria plasmid subcellular localization vector, thus localizing a red fluorescent protein tag to the intracellular mitochondrial network. The culture was fixed and subsequently labeled with DAPI and Alexa Fluor 488 conjugated to phalloidin, targeting DNA in the cell nucleus and the actin cytoskeletal framework, respectively.

Indian Muntjac Fibroblasts Triple Labeled with SYTOX Green, Alexa Fluor 350, and MitoTracker Red CMXRos - The culture of Indian Muntjac deer skin fibroblast cells presented in this section was labeled for the cytoskeletal filamentous actin network with Alexa Fluor 350 conjugated to phalloidin, and for the cell nucleus with SYTOX Green. Additionally, cellular mitochondria were stained with MitoTracker Red CMXRos, a complex aminated xanthene derivative.

Enhanced Yellow Fluorescent Protein (EYFP) Subcellular Localization in Indian Muntjac Cell Cultures - Transfection with a pEYFP-Mitochondria (enhanced yellow fluorescent protein) chimeric plasmid subcellular localization vector was utilized to target the mitochondrial network in cultured Indian Muntjac deer skin fibroblasts. After fixation and permeabilization, the cells were labeled with Alexa Fluor 568 conjugated to phalloidin, targeting filamentous actin, and the classic nucleic acid stain DAPI.

Targeting the Mitochondrial Network in Muntjac Cells with DsRed Fluorescent Protein - The adherent culture of Indian Muntjac deer skin cells presented in this section was transfected with a pDsRed-Mitochondria plasmid subcellular localization vector in order to localize a red fluorescent protein tag to mitochondria organelles. The culture was fixed and subsequently labeled with Hoechst 33342 and Alexa Fluor 488 conjugated to phalloidin, targeting nuclear DNA and F-actin, respectively.

Filamentous Actin, Mitochondria, and DNA Distribution in Indian Muntjac Fibroblasts - The featured culture of Muntjac fibroblast cells was labeled with MitoTracker Red CMXRos, Alexa Fluor 350 conjugated to phalloidin, and SYTOX Green, targeting mitochondria, F-actin, and nuclear DNA, respectively. Often used in combination, these fluorophores are very popular for multi-labeling experiments to ascertain distribution of subcellular components in fixed and permeabilized cell cultures.

Indian Muntjac Deer Skin Cells with Enhanced Yellow Fluorescent Protein - After transiently transfecting a log phase culture of Indian Muntjac cells (pEYFP-Mitochondria), the culture was washed, fixed, permeabilized, and blocked with bovine serum albumen. The cells were subsequently labeled with Alexa Fluor 568 conjugated to phalloidin and counterstained with DAPI. Note that some of the cells in the image do not express the chimeric protein.

Proximity of the Microtubule and Actin Networks in Muntjac Cell Cultures - A culture of Indian Muntjac fibroblasts was immunofluorescently labeled for the microtubule network with primary anti-tubulin mouse monoclonal antibodies followed by goat anti-mouse secondary antibody fragments conjugated to Alexa Fluor 405. The actin cytoskeletal framework was also probed with Alexa Fluor 568 conjugated to phalloidin, and nuclei were counterstained with SYTOX Green.

Visualizing Tubulin and Giantin in Muntjac Fibroblasts with Double Immunofluorescence - The Muntjac cells illustrated in this section were resident in a culture utilized in a double immunofluorescence experiment. The microtubule network was visualized with mouse anti-tubulin primary antibodies, while the Golgi complex was stained with rabbit anti-giantin antibodies. Secondary antibodies were goat anti-mouse and anti-rabbit conjugated to Alexa Fluor 488 and Alexa Fluor 568, respectively.

Peroxisome and Microtubule Distribution in Muntjac Cells - A log phase culture of Indian Muntjac cells was fixed, permeabilized, and blocked with 10-percent normal goat serum in phosphate-buffered saline prior to immunofluorescent labeling with rabbit primary antibodies to PMP 70, a protein resident in peroxisomal membranes, and mouse primary antibodies to tubulin, the basic structural constituent of microtubules. The culture was subsequently stained with a mixture of goat anti-rabbit and anti-mouse secondary antibody fragments (heavy and light chain) conjugated to Oregon Green 488 and Texas Red.

Immunofluorescently Targeting Vinculin in Indian Muntjac Fibroblast Cultures - Focal adhesions and adherens junctions were visualized in a monolayer culture of Muntjac cells immunofluorescently labeled with primary anti-vinculin mouse monoclonal antibodies followed by goat anti-mouse Fab heavy and light chain fragments conjugated to Cy2. In addition, the specimen was stained for DNA with Hoechst 33342 and for the cytoskeletal filamentous actin network with Alexa Fluor 568 conjugated to phalloidin.

Log Phase Muntjac Cells with DsRed Fluorescent Protein, Alexa Fluor 488, and Hoechst 33342 - The culture of Indian Muntjac fibroblast cells presented in this section was transfected with a DsRed-Mitochondria plasmid subcellular localization vector to target cellular mitochondria. Stable transfectants were isolated and grown into log phase before being fixed, permeabilized, and labeled with Hoechst 33342 and Alexa Fluor 488 conjugated to phalloidin, targeting DNA in the cell nucleus and the F-actin cytoskeletal network, respectively.

Visualizing the Golgi Complex in Deer Skin Cells - A monolayer culture of Indian Muntjac cells was fixed, permeabilized, and blocked with 10-percent normal goat serum in phosphate-buffered saline prior to immunofluorescent labeling with rabbit primary antibodies to giantin, a protein resident in the Golgi complex of mammalian cells. The culture was subsequently stained with a mixture of goat anti-rabbit secondary antibody fragments (heavy and light chain) conjugated to Cy2.

Muntjac Fibroblasts Labeled with Double Immunofluorescence and a Phallotoxin - The featured culture of Indian Muntjac cells was triple-labeled using double immunofluorescence and a phallotoxin. Microtubules were visualized with mouse anti-tubulin primary antibodies, while peroxisomes were stained with rabbit anti-PMP 70 antibodies. The secondary antibodies utilized were goat anti-mouse and anti-rabbit conjugated to Texas Red and Oregon Green 488. The F-actin network was counterstained with Alexa Fluor 350 conjugated to phalloidin.

Distribution of Peroxisomes, Filamentous Actin, and DNA in Indian Muntjac Cell Cultures - Peroxisome organelles present in the Indian Muntjac fibroblast cell culture illustrated in this section were immunofluorescently labeled with Rhodamine Red conjugated to antibodies directed against peroxisomal membrane protein 70 (PMP 70). Alexa Fluor 488 conjugated to phalloidin and DAPI were simultaneously used to counterstain the culture, targeting cytoskeletal F-actin and nuclear DNA, respectively.

Concanavalin A Localization of the Endoplasmic Reticulum in Deer Skin Fibroblasts - A log phase monolayer culture of Indian Muntjac deer skin cells was labeled with DAPI to target DNA, as well as Alexa Fluor 568 conjugated to phalloidin to target the cytoskeletal filamentous actin network. In addition, an Alexa Fluor 488-concanavalin A conjugate was used to target the endoplasmic reticulum and selected carbohydrate residues found in glycoproteins, enzymes, and cell membranes.

Visualizing Microtubules and the F-Actin Network in Indian Muntjac Cells - Indian Muntjac cellular tubulin was visualized in the culture of fibroblasts depicted in this section by immunofluorescent labeling with primary anti-tubulin mouse monoclonal antibodies followed by goat anti-mouse secondary antibody fragments conjugated to Alexa Fluor 488. The cell culture was also labeled for the cytoskeletal filamentous actin network with Alexa Fluor 546 conjugated to phalloidin. Cell nuclei were counterstained with TO-PRO-3.

Triple Fluorophore Labeling of Muntjac Cultures with MitoTracker Red CMXRos, Alexa Fluor 488, and Hoechst 33342 - The proximity of F-actin, mitochondria, and cell nuclei was visualized in the log phase monolayer culture of Indian Muntjac deer skin fibroblast cells shown in this section with Alexa Fluor 488 conjugated to phalloidin, MitoTracker Red CMXRos, and Hoechst 33342.

Histones and Peroxisomal Membrane Protein Localization in Indian Muntjac Cells - An adherent culture of Indian Muntjac cells was fixed, permeabilized, blocked with 10 percent normal goat serum, and treated with a cocktail of mouse anti-histones (pan) and rabbit anti-PMP 70 (peroxisomal membrane protein) primary antibodies, followed by goat anti-mouse and anti-rabbit secondary antibodies (IgG) conjugated to Texas Red and Alexa Fluor 488, respectively. Alexa Fluor 350 conjugated to a phallotoxin, phalloidin, was utilized to counterstain the actin cytoskeleton.

Targeting the F-Actin and Mitochondrial Networks in Muntjac Fibroblast Cultures - The monolayer Indian Muntjac cell culture presented in this section was labeled for the cytoskeletal filamentous actin and intracellular mitochondrial networks with Alexa Fluor 488 conjugated to phalloidin and MitoTracker Red CMXRos, respectively. Nuclei present in the fibroblasts were counterstained with the DNA-selective bisbenzimide dye, Hoechst 33342.

Proximity of the Peroxisomes to the Filamentous Actin Network in Indian Muntjac Cells - The peroxisomes present in the Indian Muntjac fibroblast cell culture featured in this section were immunofluorescently labeled with Cy2 conjugated to goat secondary antibody fragments directed against rabbit primary antibodies to peroxisomal membrane protein 70 (PMP 70), a major peroxisomal membrane polypeptide. In addition, the culture was labeled for F-actin with Alexa Fluor 568 conjugated to phalloidin and for DNA with the nucleic acid stain DAPI.