Confocal Microscopy Core Unit

Diego Megías Head of Unit
T +34 917328000 (Ext 3160)
dmegias@cnio.es

Technicians

Gadea Mata
Manuel Pérez

Optical microscopy has traditionally been an indispensable tool in cell biology studies. In fact, one of the main challenges in oncology research is the study of specific markers, expression patterns or individual cells in the tumour environment.

The Confocal Microscopy Unit provides the CNIO Research Groups with all the standard methodologies as well as the latest advances in microscopy, offering access to state-of- the-art equipment and software packages related to confocal microscopy, including technical and scientific advice and support to the CNIO scientists. The Unit is also actively involved in developing, testing and implementing new microscopy technologies, tools and imaging applications that could be of interest to the Research Groups at the CNIO. Training activities are also an essential component of our mission.

Publications

Karras P, Riveiro-Falkenbach E, Cañón E, Tejedo C, Calvo TG, Martínez-Herranz R, Alonso-Curbelo D, Cifdaloz M, Perez-Guijarro E, Gómez-López G, Ximenez-Embun P, Muñoz J, Megias D, Olmeda D, Moscat J, Ortiz-Romero PL, Rodríguez-Peralto JL, Soengas MS. (2019). p62/SQSTM1 Fuels Melanoma Progression by Opposing mRNA Decay of a Selective Set of Pro-metastatic Factors.. Cancer Cell 35, 46-63.
Llanos S, Megias D, Blanco-Aparicio C, Hernández-Encinas E, Rovira M, Pietrocola F, Serrano M (2019). Lysosomal trapping of palbociclib and its functional implications. Oncogene (in press).
Barradas M, Link W, Megias D, Fernandez-Marcos PJ (2019). High-Throughput Image-Based Screening to Identify Chemical Compounds Capable of Activating FOXO. Methods Mol Biol 1890, 151-161.
Bejarano L, Louzame J, Montero JJ, Megías D, Flores JM, Blasco MA (2019). Safety of Whole-Body Abrogation of the TRF1 Shelterin Protein in Wild-Type and Cancer-Prone Mouse Models.. iScience 19, 572-585. Open Access
Soriano J, Mata G, Megias D (2019). HCS Methodology for Helping in Lab Scale Image-Based Assays.. Methods Mol Biol 2040, 331-356.
Cobo I, Martinelli P, Flández M, Bakiri L, Zhang M, Carrillo-de-Santa-Pau E, Jia J, Sánchez-Arévalo Lobo VJ, Megías D, Felipe I, Del Pozo N, Millán I, Thommesen L, Bruland T, Olson SH, Smith J, Schoonjans K, Bamlet WR, Petersen GM, Malats N, Amundadottir LT, Wagner EF, Real FX (2018). Transcriptional regulation by NR5A2 links differentiation and inflammation in the pancreas. Nature 554, 533-537.
Montero JJ, López-Silanes I, Megías D, F Fraga M, Castells-García Á, Blasco MA (2018). TERRA recruitment of polycomb to telomeres is essential for histone trymethylation marks at telomeric heterochromatin. Nat Commun 9, 1548. Open Access
Priego N, Zhu L, Monteiro C, Mulders M, Wasilewski D, Bindeman W, Doglio L, Martínez L, Martínez-Saez E, Cajal SRY, Megías D, Hernández-Encinas E, Blanco-Aparicio C, Martínez L, Zarzuela E, Muñoz J, Fustero-Torres C, Pineiro E, Hernández-Laín A, Bertero L, Poli V, Sánchez-Martínez M, Menendez JA, Soffietti R, Bosch-Barrera J, Valiente M (2018). STAT3 labels a subpopulation of reactive astrocytes required for brain metastasis. Nat Med 24, 1024-1035.
Sánchez-Arévalo Lobo VJ, Fernández LC, Carrillo-de-Santa-Pau E, Richart L, Cobo I, Cendrowski J, Moreno U, Del Pozo N, Megías D, Bréant B, Wright CV, Magnuson M, Real FX (2018). c-Myc downregulation is required for preacinar to acinar maturation and pancreatic homeostasis. Gut 67, 707-718.
Cifdaloz M, Osterloh L, Graña O, Riveiro-Falkenbach E, Ximénez-Embún P, Muñoz J, Tejedo C, Calvo TG, Karras P, Olmeda D, Miñana B, Gómez-López G, Cañon E, Eyras E, Guo H, Kappes F, Ortiz-Romero PL, Rodríguez-Peralto JL, Megías D, Valcárcel J, Soengas MS. (2017). Systems analysis identifies melanoma-enriched pro-oncogenic networks controlled by the RNA binding protein CELF1.. Nat Commun 8, 2249.
Muñoz S, Búa S, Rodríguez-Acebes S, Megías D, Ortega S, de Martino A, Méndez J (2017). In Vivo DNA Re-replication Elicits Lethal Tissue Dysplasias.. Cell Reports 19, 928-938.
Martín-Sánchez E, Mendaza S, Ulazia-Garmendia A, Monreal-Santesteban I, Blanco-Luquin I, Córdoba A, Vicente-García F, Pérez-Janices N, Escors D, Megías D, López-Serra P, Esteller M, Illarramendi JJ, Guerrero-Setas D (2017). CHL1 hypermethylation as a potential biomarker of poor prognosis in breast cancer. Oncotarget 8, 861-870.
Amelian A, Wasilewska K, Megias D, Winnicka K (2017). Application of standard cell cultures and 3D in vitro tissue models as an effective tool in drug design and development.. Pharmacol Rep 69, 861-870.
Olmeda D, Cerezo-Wallis D, Riveiro-Falkenbach E, Pennacchi PC, Contreras-Alcalde M, Ibarz N, Cifdaloz M, Catena X, Calvo TG, Cañón E, Alonso-Curbelo D, Suarez J, Osterloh L, Graña O, Mulero F, Megías D, Cañamero M, Martínez-Torrecuadrada JL, Mondal C, Di Martino J, Lora D, Martinez-Corral I, Bravo-Cordero JJ, Muñoz J, Puig S, Ortiz-Romero P, Rodriguez-Peralto JL, Ortega S, Soengas MS (2017). Whole-body imaging of lymphovascular niches identifies pre-metastatic roles of midkine.. Nature 546, 676-680.
Bejarano L, Schuhmacher AJ, Méndez-Pertuz M, Megías M, Blanco-Aparicio C, Martínez S, Pastor J, Squatrito M, Blasco MA (2017). Inhibition of Trf1 telomere protein impairs tumor initiation and progression in glioblastoma multiform mouse models and patient-derived xenografts.. Cancer Cell 32, 590-607.
Marión RM, López de Silanes I, Mosteiro L, Gamache B, Abad M, Guerra C, Megías D, Serrano M, Blasco MA (2017). Common Telomere Changes during In Vivo Reprogramming and Early Stages of Tumorigenesis. Stem Cell Reports 8, 460-475.
Burén S, Gomes AL, Teijeiro A, Fawal MA, Yilmaz M, Tummala KS, Perez M, Rodriguez-Justo M, Campos-Olivas R, Megías D, Djouder N (2016). Regulation of OGT by URI in Response to Glucose Confers c-MYC-Dependent Survival Mechanisms.. Cancer Cell 30, 290-307.
Pérez-Guijarro E, Karras P, Cifdaloz M, Martínez-Herranz R, Cañón E, Graña O, Horcajada-Reales C, Alonso-Curbelo D, Calvo TG, Gómez-López G, Bellora N, Riveiro-Falkenbach E, Ortiz-Romero PL, Rodríguez-Peralto JL, Maestre L, Roncador G, de Agustín Asensio JC, Goding CR, Eyras E, Megías D, Méndez R, Soengas MS (2016). Lineage-specific roles of the cytoplasmic polyadenylation factor CPEB4 in the regulation of melanoma drivers.. Nat Communications 7, 13418.
Andradas C, Blasco-Benito S, Castillo-Lluva S, Dillenburg-Pilla P, Diez-Alarcia R, Juanes-García A, García-Taboada E, Hernando-Llorente R, Soriano J, Hamann S, Wenners A, Alkatout I, Klapper W, Rocken C, Bauer M, Arnold N, Quintanilla M, Megías D, Vicente-Manzanares M, Urigüen L, Gutkind JS, Guzmán M, Pérez-Gómez E, Sánchez C. (2016). Activation of the orphan receptor GPR55 by lysophosphatidylinositol promotes metastasis in triple-negative breast cancer.. Oncotarget 7, 47565-47575.
Ramírez-Santiago G, Robles-Valero J, Morlino G, Cruz-Adalia A, Pérez-Martínez M, Zaldivar A, Torres-Torresano M, Chichón FJ, Sorrentino A, Pereiro E, Carrascosa JL, Megías D, Sorzano CO, Sánchez-Madrid F, Veiga E8 (2016). Clathrin regulates lymphocyte migration by driving actin accumulation at the cellular leading edge.. Eur J Immunol 46, 2376-2387.
Hernández-Agudo E, Mondejar T, Soto-Montenegro ML, Megías D, Mouron S, Sanchez J, Hidalgo M, Lopez-Casas PP, Mulero F, Desco M, Quintela-Fandino M. (2016). Monitoring vascular normalization induced by antiangiogenic treatment with (18)F-fluoromisonidazole-PET.. Mol Oncol 10, 1704-1718.
Vaclová T, Woods NT, Megías D, Gomez-Lopez S, Setién F, García Bueno JM, Macías JA, Barroso A, Urioste M, Esteller M, Monteiro AN, Benítez J, Osorio A (2016). Germline missense pathogenic variants in the BRCA1 BRCT domain, p.Gly1706Glu and p.Ala1708Glu, increase cellular sensitivity to PARP inhibitor Olaparib by a dominant negative effect.. Hum Mol Genet 25, 5287-5299.
Pérez-Gómez E, Andradas C, Blasco-Benito S, Caffarel MM, García-Taboada E, Villa-Morales M, Moreno E, Hamann S, Martín-Villar E, Flores JM, Wenners A, Alkatout I, Klapper W, Röcken C, Bronsert P, Stickeler E, Staebler A, Bauer M, Arnold N, Soriano J, Pérez-Martínez M, Megías D, Moreno-Bueno G, Ortega-Gutiérrez S, Artola M, Vázquez-Villa H, Quintanilla M, Fernández-Piqueras J, Canela EI, McCormick PJ, Guzmán M, Sánchez C. (2015). Role of cannabinoid receptor CB2 in HER2 pro-oncogenic signaling in breast cancer.. J Natl Cancer I 107, djv077.
Cioffi M, Vallespinos-Serrano M, Trabulo SM, Fernandez-Marcos PJ, Firment AN, Vazquez BN, Vieira CR, Mulero F, Camara JA, Cronin UP, Perez M, Soriano J, G Galvez B, Castells-Garcia A, Haage V, Raj D, Megias D, Hahn S, Serrano L, Moon A, Aicher A, Heeschen C (2015). MiR-93 Controls Adiposity via Inhibition of Sirt7 and Tbx3.. Cell Reports 12, 1594-1605.
Gago-Fuentes R, Fernandez-Puente P, Megias D, Carpintero-Fernandez P, Mateos J, Acea B, Fonseca E, Blanco FJ, Mayan MD (2015). Proteomic analysis of connexin 43 reveals novel interactors related to osteoarthritis.. Mol Cell Proteomics 14, 1831-1845.
Perez-Janices N, Blanco-Luquin I, Tuñón MT, Barba-Ramos E, Ibáñez B, Zazpe-Cenoz I, Martinez-Aguillo M, Hernandez B, Martínez-Lopez E, Fernández AF, Mercado MR, Cabada T, Escors D, Megias D, Guerrero-Setas D. (2015). EPB41L3, TSP-1 and RASSF2 as new clinically relevant prognostic biomarkers in diffuse gliomas.. Oncotarget 6, 368-380.
Carro A, Perez-Martinez M, Soriano J, Pisano DG, Megias D (2015). iMSRC: converting a standard automated microscope into an intelligent screening platform.. Sci Rep 5, 10502.
Doménech E, Maestre C, Esteban-Martínez L, Partida D, Pascual R, Fernández-Miranda G, Seco E, Campos-Olivas R, Pérez M, Megias D, Allen K, López M, Saha AK, Velasco G, Rial E, Méndez R, Boya P, Salazar-Roa M, Malumbres M (2015). AMPK and PFKFB3 mediate glycolysis and survival in response to mitophagy during mitotic arrest.. Nat Cell Biol 17, 1304-1316.
García-Beccaria M, Martínez P, Méndez-Pertuz M, Martínez S, Blanco-Aparicio C, Cañamero M, Mulero F, Ambrogio C, Flores JM, Megias D, Barbacid M, Pastor J, Blasco MA (2015). Therapeutic inhibition of TRF1 impairs the growth of p53-deficient K-RasG12V-induced lung cancer by induction of telomeric DNA damage.. EMBO Mol Med 7, 930-949.
Piazzolla D, Palla AR, Pantoja C, Cañamero M, de Castro IP, Ortega S, Gómez-López G, Dominguez O, Megías D, Roncador G, Luque-Garcia JL, Fernandez-Tresguerres B, Fernandez AF, Fraga MF, Rodriguez-Justo M, Manzanares M, Sánchez-Carbayo M, García-Pedrero JM, Rodrigo JP, Malumbres M, Serrano M (2014). Lineage-restricted function of the pluripotency factor NANOG in stratified epithelia.. Nat Communications 5, 4226.
Miranda-Lorenzo I, Dorado J, Lonardo E, Alcala S, Serrano AG, Clausell-Tormos J, Cioffi M, Megias D, Zagorac S, Balic A, Hidalgo M, Erkan M, Kleeff J, Scarpa A, Sainz B Jr, Heeschen C (2014). Intracellular autofluorescence: a biomarker for epithelial cancer stem cells.. Nat Methods 11, 1161-1169.
Alonso-Curbelo D, Riveiro-Falkenbach E, Perez-Guijarro E, Cifdaloz M, karras P, Osterloh L, Megías D, Cañón E, Calvo TG, Olmeda D, Gómez-Lopez G, Graña O, Sánchez-Arévalo VJ, Pisano DG, Wang H-W, Ortiz-Romero P, Tormo D, Hoeck K, Rodríguez-Peralto JL, Joyce JA, Soengas MS (2014). RAB7 controls melanoma progression by exploiting a lineage-specific wiring of the endolysosomal pathway.. Cancer Cell 26, 61-76.
Epifano C, Megias D, Perez-Moreno M (2014). p120-catenin differentially regulates cell migration by Rho-dependent intracellular and secreted signals.. EMBO Rep 15, 592-600.
Hergueta-Redondo M, Sarrió D, Molina-Crespo Á, Megias D, Mota A, Rojo-Sebastian A, García-Sanz P, Morales S, Abril S, Cano A, Peinado H, Moreno-Bueno G (2014). Gasdermin-B promotes invasion and metastasis in breast cancer cells.. PLoS ONE 9, e90099.
Morgado-Palacin L, Llanos S, Urbano M, Blanco-Aparicio C, Megias D, Pastor J, Serrano M (2014). Non-genotoxic activation of p53 through the RPL11-dependent ribosomal stress pathway.. Carcinogenesis 35, 2822-2830.
Alvarez R, Musteanu M, Garcia-Garcia E, Lopez-Casas PP, Megias D, Guerra C, Muñoz M, Quijano Y, Cubillo A, Rodriguez-Pascual J, Plaza C, de Vicente E, Prados S, Tabernero S, Barbacid M, Lopez-Rios F, Hidalgo M (2014). Reply: ‘Comments on Stromal disrupting effects of nab-paclitaxel in pancreatic cancer’. Br J Cancer 111, 1677-1678.
Abad M, Mosteiro Ll, Pantoja C, Cañamero M, Rayon T, Ors I, Graña O, Megías D, Domínguez O, Martinez D, Manzanares M, Ortega S, Serrano M (2013). Reprogramming in vivo produces teratomas and iPS cells with totipotency features.. Nature 502, 340-345.
Shahbazi MN, Megías D, Epifano C, Akhmanova A, Gundersen GG, Fuchs E, Perez-Moreno M (2013). CLASP2 interacts with p120-catenin and governs microtubule dynamics at Adherens Junctions.. J Cell Biol 203, 1043-1061.
Rivera-Torres J1, Acín-Perez R, Cabezas-Sánchez P, Osorio FG, Gonzalez-Gómez C, Megias D, Cámara C, López-Otín C, Enríquez JA, Luque-García JL, Andrés V. (2013). Identification of mitochondrial dysfunction in Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome through use of stable isotope labeling with amino acids in cell culture.. J Proteomics 91, 466-477.
de Cubas AA, Leandro-Garcia LJ, Schiavi F, Mancikova V, Comino-Méndez I, Inglada-Perez L, Pérez M, Ibarz N, Ximénez-Embún P, López-Jiménez E, Letón R, Maliszewska A, Gómez Graña A, Bernal C, Alvarez-Escolá C, Rodriguez-Antona C, Opocher G, Muñoz J, Megías D, Cascón A, Robledo M (2013). Integrative analysis of miRNA and mRNA expression profiles in pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma identifies genotype-specific markers and potentially regulated pathways.. Endocr-Relat Cancer 20, 477-493.
Alvarez R, Musteanu M, Garcia-Garcia E, Lopez-Casas PP, Megias D, Guerra C, Muñoz M, Quijano Y, Cubillo A, Rodriguez-Pascual J, Plaza C, de Vicente E, Prados S, Tabernero S, Barbacid M, Lopez-Rios F, Hidalgo M (2013). Stromal disrupting effects of nab-paclitaxel in pancreatic cancer.. Br J Cancer 109, 926-933.