Creative Biolabs offers primary CNS assays to help you understand the effects of your test biologic or small molecule on cells in the CNS.

Primary CNS

Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized:

• Dysfunction and death of specific neuronal populations
• The key roles played by non-neuronal cells, i.e. glial cells such as astrocytes or microglia.

As a devastating neurodegenerative disorder, the main hallmarks of the Alzheimer's Disease (AD) pathology are extracellular accumulations of beta-amyloid (Aβ) in neuritic plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles of hyperphosphorylated tau protein, a microtubule-associated protein. Indeed, activated glial cells are typically present in abundance around the amyloid plaques, and significant loss of neurons and synapses has been found in several regions of the diseased brain. In the past, extensive research has been conducted to disclose the molecular mechanisms of AD. However, numerous and intricate signaling pathways causing neuronal loss are still not fully understood, and an effective cure is still not achieved.

Recently, a study has reported a simple, yet efficient method to screen the effects of toxic agents and drugs on different populations of primary central nervous system (CNS) cells. The main technology used in this study was Microfluidic chips. Usage of microfluidic chips in AD allowed demonstration of the high toxicity of oligomeric Aβ compared to the fibrillar form. Besides, when applied to neuronal cultures or microglia enriched neuronal cultures, the protective effect of the target anti-inflammatory drug was also proved.

Understanding the effects of test biologic or small molecules on cells in the CNS is likely a key component of drug discovery research.

Fig.1 Primary neurons, astrocytes and microglia. (Ruiz. 2014)

Workflow of Primary CNS Assays

Highly experienced team at Creative Biolabs is proficient at isolating primary CNS cells expressing endogenous targets of interest for use in moderate-throughput phenotypic screening of multiple compounds, sharing with you the accurate, robust results.

Fig.2 Workflow of Primary CNS Assays. (Creative Biolabs)

Technology Platform

Technology provides breakthrough tools and methods to boost research on neurodegeneration and to help decipher the basis of the pathology. Creative Biolabs offers a series of primary neuronal and glial cell-based assays to help you understand the interaction between your compound or biologic and the nervous system, facilitating your research faster.

• Biomimetic microsystems: a set of microfabrication techniques.
• Present cells in situations mimicking more closely their integration in the environment
• Link cell cultures with integrated analytical tools which can monitor the biochemical/biophysical processes that govern cell behavior.
• Accelerate drug development by providing alternative cell-based in vitro methods with enhanced predictability for initial screening.
• More closely to the human tissuein vivo so that is well suited for the development of in vitro models.
• Isolation, culture, and characterization service of neural cells.
• In vitro CNS models.

With a strong academic background in neuroscience, Creative Biolabs offers a consultative approach and a suite of customizable assays for investigating CNS test compounds. If you are interested in our primary CNS assays, please feel free to contact us.

Reference

1. Ruiz, A.; et al. Testing Aβ toxicity on primary CNS cultures using drug-screening microfluidic chips. Lab on a Chip. 2014, 14(15): 2860.

For Research Use Only | Not For Clinical Use