Brain Endothelial Cell and Astrocyte Co-Culture Model for Neurological Disorder Drug Discovery and Development

Central nervous system (CNS) disorders stand as a prominent contributor to the global healthcare burden, yet the approval rate for new therapies targeting these disorders remains notably low compared to other medical fields. The lack of dependable and effective in vitro blood-brain barrier (BBB) models that faithfully replicate in vivo barrier properties presents a substantial impediment in the pursuit of effective CNS disorder treatments.

Creative Biolabs’ comprehensive services for the brain endothelial cells (ECs) and astrocytes co-culture model encompass customized 3D biology model development, barrier integrity assessment, cell interaction studies, drug permeability assays, facilitating advanced research in drug delivery, neuroinflammation, and neurological disorders.

Approaches

Transwell Systems

Utilize transwell or insert configurations, placing brain ECs on one side of a permeable membrane and astrocytes on the opposite side.

Functions:

• Promotes the establishment of tight junction proteins between ECs and astrocytes and preserve BBB properties.
• Offers a platform for exploring intricate cell-cell interactions and the dynamics of drug translocation.
• Combined with transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) measurements, it facilitates precise quantification of barrier integrity.

Isolation and Culture

Isolate nurtured independently brain ECs and astrocytes ensues from suitable origins, including animal neural tissue or established cell lines, then co-culture.

Functions:

• Integrate of a commercially accessible microfluidic chip, characterized by modest volume prerequisites, alongside a well-established immortalized cell line, bestows a convenient and efficacious investigative instrument.
• Provide enhanced insights into the cellular and molecular mechanisms of the BBB.

Three-Dimensional (3D) Models

A novel three-dimensional BBB microvascular network model through vasculogenesis, leverages human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived ECs and astrocytes to form self-assembled vascular networks within a fibrin gel matrix.

Functions:

• Emulate the in vivo neurovascular architecture and replicate the intricate anatomical complexity of human brain barriers.
• Adapted for high-throughput preclinical screening of novel therapies targeting specific BBB transporters.
• Conduct drug delivery studies.
• Explore the transport of microengineered nanocarriers engineered to traverse the BBB.

Microfluidic Models

Microfluidic chips were engineered following a parallel design, featuring two concentric channels: one dedicated to vascular and the other to tissue functions. The innermost tissue channel was populated with primary rat astrocytes, while the vascular channel comprised primary rat brain ECs.

Functions:

• Fluid flow, shear stress, and mechanical strain parameters could be tailored to investigate tissue or organ-specific functionalities.
• Immunocytochemistry conducted on the barrier confirmed the presence of junction proteins.
• Transcriptome analysis unveiled the expression of endothelial transport proteins.

Applications

• Applications
• Unveiling biological mechanisms
• Deciphering disease pathways & targets
• Facilitating drug discovery
• Evaluating drug delivery and toxicity
• Advancing cell-based therapies

Creative Biolabs furnishes a co-culture model encompassing brain ECs and astrocytes, synergistically enhancing the exploration of physiologically pertinent inquiries regarding blood-brain barrier functionality, pharmaceutical transport, and neurological maladies. If you want more detailed information, please feel free to contact us.

Related Sections:

• 3D Spheroid Model for Neurological Disorder Drug Discovery and Development