Human 3D cell spheres for toxicity testing in neurodevelopmental phase
CompanyDNTOX GmbH, Dusseldorf, Germany
The company DNTOX has developed the so-called Neurosphere Assay, which enables research into neurotoxic interactions of different neurological development phases and cell types. For this purpose, primary human neural progenitor cells are cultured into floating or plated, adherent three-dimensional spheres. Cell differentiation into characteristic cells of the central nervous system (neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes) takes place over a period of 1 to 5 days, depending on the cell type. For the visualization and biomedical assessment of the cultured cells in the different migration phases, the cells are stained with TUBB3 and identified using computer-aided methods. Depending on the research interest, different neurotoxins and their pathological effects on cell proliferation, differentiation, connectivity and myelination of the central nervous system can be examined in different test series. For example, the effects of methylmercury poisoning on NPC migration or the pathocellular changes in Zika virus infection can be recapitulated. The multicellular assay allows for more in-depth exploration of a variety of embryonic and neonatal neurodevelopmental disorders and may help to improve understanding of cellular pathological processes and predictively identify neurotoxic interactions of drugs and other agents on the developing nervous system.
Developmental Neurotoxicity (DNT) Testing
info@dntox.de
Added on: 07-04-2023
[1] https://dntox.de/developmental-neurotoxicity-testing/