Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Cells (OPCs) Assay Service

The neurodegenerative disease requires new tools for detecting molecules that promote oligodendrocyte differentiation and remyelination. Creative Biolabs has developed an OPC-targeting drug screening assay-high throughput for OPC research.

This robust platform makes it possible to screen potential compounds quickly based on their potential to boost oligodendrocyte differentiation and axonal remyelination. Our HTS assays mimic the inflammatory microenvironment typical of demyelinating disorders, providing the most useful information to inform therapy development. It is a great service for both drug manufacturers and research institutes who need to speed up their pipelines for drug discovery.

Fig.3 Flow scheme of the cytokine OL protection assay.^3,5

However, it's vital if we're to figure out how to use OPCs for further therapy development, we also must test whether they can mature into eukaryotic myelin sheath-forming oligodendrocytes. Creative Biolabs provides specific functional maturation assays that marry co-culture systems with cutting-edge electrophysiological methods.

Such tests give a complete picture of OPC maturation and enable researchers to confirm therapeutic strategies that target CNS repair. With a real-world functional impact (e.g. restoring neuronal conductivity), our services can shed light on the efficacy of potential treatments.

Fig.4 Flow scheme of the acute OL differentiation assay.^4,5

Migration of OPCs is essential to CNS repair, particularly in conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS), where myelin regeneration is deficient. By examining OPC migration, we might find new mechanisms to speed up remyelination and neurological repair.

Creative Biolabs provides state-of-the-art migration assays using chemotaxis chambers and agarose drop techniques. Such approaches yield robust information about OPC movement in various circumstances that can be used to make precise assessments of their migratory responses. Our tests allow scientists to pinpoint the factors that enhance OPC mobility, leading to therapies that target myelin repair and neuroprotection.

Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying OPC function is fundamental to basic science and clinical practice. Creative Biolabs provides transcriptomics and proteomics services that provide resolution data on gene and protein expression during OPC differentiation. With cutting-edge technologies such as single-cell RNA sequencing and proteomic analysis, we can identify key pathways and regulatory networks. These are invaluable services in terms of finding new targets for treatment and enriching our knowledge of OPC biology.

OPCs aren't solitary in the CNS, they engage with immune cells, particularly in neuroinflammation. Creative Biolabs offers specialized tests to monitor these interactions, looking at how cytokines, chemokines, and other immune factors impact OPC activity. Through co-culture platforms and cytokine analysis, our services give you an in-depth insight into the immune dynamics driving OPC behavior. These are important findings in designing interventions to reduce inflammation-induced OPC damage and optimize CNS repair.

Visualizing OPC behavior and interaction is critical to better understand their function in the CNS. Creative Biolabs offers high-throughput imaging products, such as confocal microscopy, live-cell imaging, and automated pipelines. Our imaging facilities enable researchers to study OPC morphology, differentiation, and migration in unprecedented detail. Whether you're measuring cell turnover or myelin synthesis, our advanced technologies provide reliable, detailed data.