hN2 Human Neurons for Toxicity Screening

Our Human hN2 Neurons proving excellent platforms for Neurotoxicology Studies. I would like to share recent publication and that confirms the potential of these solutions for use in your toxicology assays.

Xiugong Gao, Hsiuling Lin, Radharaman Ray, Prabhati Ray. Toxicogenomic Studies of Human Neural Cells Following Exposure to Organophosphorus Chemical Warfare Nerve Agent VX. Neurochemical Research. February 2013.

Abstract: Organophosphorus (OP) compounds represent an important group of chemical warfare nerve agents that remains a significant and constant military and civilian threat. OP compounds are considered acting primarily via cholinergic pathways by binding irreversibly to acetylcholinesterase, an important regulator of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Many studies over the past years have suggested that other mechanisms of OP toxicity exist, which need to be unraveled by a comprehensive and systematic approach such as genome-wide gene expression analysis. Here we performed a microarray study in which cultured human neural cells were exposed to 0.1 or 10 μM of VX for 1 h. Global gene expression changes were analyzed 6, 24, and 72 h post exposure. Functional annotation and pathway analysis of the differentially expressed genes has revealed many genes, networks and canonical pathways that are related to nervous system development and function, or to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease. In particular, the neuregulin pathway impacted by VX exposure has important implications in many nervous system diseases including schizophrenia. These results provide useful information valuable in developing suitable antidotes for more effective prevention and treatment of, as well as in developing biomarkers for, VX-induced chronic neurotoxicity.

Images: hN2 Neurons at 18, hrs, 72 hrs and 6 Days.

Image: hN2 cells grown in culture for 4 days and stained with our chicken polyclonal to Neurofilament light or low molecular weight chain NF-L, a marker of neurons. Many of the differentiating cells show strong cytoplasmic and clearly fibrillar staining for NF-L. Blue stain is DAPI and reveals cell nuclei of some non neuronal cells in this culture

I will continue to post updates on new applications of these potent, pure and easy to grow human neurons.

hNP1 Neural Progenitors to Sensory Neurons

A Source for SN-Related Neural Circuits and for Designing Therapeutic Models for Related Diseases.

Researchers have successfully differentiated our hNP1^TM Neural Progenitors into Sensory Neurons. These cells can be passaged 10X+ prior to differentiation. This means basic and drug discovery researchers now have a source to generate large quantities of SNs: Xiufang Guo, Severo Spradling, Maria Stancescu, Stephen Lambert, James J. Hickman. Derivation of sensory neurons and neural crest stem cells from human neural progenitor hNP1. Biomaterials, In Press, Corrected Proof, Mar 2013.doi:10.1016/j.biomaterials.2013.02.061.

Abstract: Although sensory neurons constitute a critical component for the proper function of the nervous system, the in vitro differentiation of functional sensory neurons from human stem cells has not yet been reported. This study presents the differentiation of sensory neurons (SNs) from a human neural progenitor cell line, hNP1, and their functional maturation in a defined, in vitro culture system without murine cell feeder layers. The SNs were characterized by immunocytochemistry and their functional maturation was evaluated by electrophysiology. Neural crest (NC) precursors, as one of the cellular derivatives in the differentiation culture, were isolated, propagated, and tested for their ability to generate sensory neurons. The hSC-derived SNs, as well as the NC precursors provide valuable tools for developing in vitro functional systems that model sensory neuron-related neural circuits and for designing therapeutic models for related diseases.

Images: Phase contrast images of the cultures before and after the sensory neuron induction. A) hNP1 culture before sensory induction. B) hNP1 culture 10 days after sensory induction. C) hNP1 culture 30 days after sensory induction. Neuronal clusters and axonal bundles, which resemble rat DRG cell cultures, were typically observed. D) For comparison, an image of a rat embryonic DRG cell culture at 7 DIV is provided. doi.org/10.1016/j.biomaterials.2013.02.061

Images: Generation of Schwann cells from the differentiated culture. Immunostaining of a day 38 culture with the Schwann cell marker S100 demonstrating a significant number of Schwann cells in the culture. Schwann cells were located either within the neuronal clusters (A) or along the axonal bundles (B). The neuronal clusters and axonal bundles were marked by Peripherin immunostaining. doi.org/10.1016/j.biomaterials.2013.02.061

We are developing human cell based assays for High Content and Throughput Screening and will continue to post updates.

i-Fect™ Delivers Your siRNA Payload

Delivering siRNA to Dorsal Root Ganglia to Silence K_V Receptors.

Our i-Fect transfection kits continue to be used to optimize delivery in vivo and into hard to transfect cells like primary neurons. In these 2 latest expamples, researchers use i-Fect to deliver siRNA to K_V Receptors in Rat DRGs. Knocking down these receptors enable the study of their role in pain modulation: John H. Winston, Sushil K. Sarna. Developmental Origins of Functional Dyspepsia-Like Gastric Hypersensitivity in Rats. Gastroenterology. Volume 144, Issue 3, March 2013, Pages 570–579.e3. dx.doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2012.11.001....intrathecal treatment, 2 μg of the appropriate siRNA was mixed (1:5 vol/vol) with i-Fect transfection reagent (Neuromics, Edina, MN); rats received 2 ug siRNA/10 uL/rat/injection...

Figures. siRNA-mediated knockdown of Kv1.1 expression in thoracic DRG significantly increased gastric sensitivity in naive adult rats. (A) Western blots showed a significant decrease in Kv1.1 protein in thoracic DRG (T8–T12) after intrathecal treatment with Kv1.1 siRNA but not with control siRNA. siRNA treatment did not alter TrpV1 expression (n = 5 rats each; *P < .01 vs control siRNA). (B) Naive rats treated with Kv1.1 siRNA showed a significant increase in VMR to gastric distention (n = 5 rats each, compared with pretreatment baseline; *P < .05). (C) Treatment with control siRNA had no significant effect on gastric hypersensitivity. (D) Patch clamp recordings from freshly dissociated gastric DRG neurons from FD-like and PND 10 saline-treated littermate controls showed a significant decrease in rheobase in FD-like rats (*P < .05), and (E) a significant increase in the number of action potentials elicited by current injection at 3× the rheobase in gastric DRG neurons from FD-like rats (*P < .05). (F) Sample voltage vs time traces showing action potentials evoked at ×1, ×2, and ×3 rheobase. The patch clamp data were obtained from 16 cells from 5 PND 10 saline control rats and 19 cells from 5 FD-like rats.
Tsantoulas C, Zhu L, Shaifta Y, Grist J, Ward JP, Raouf R, Michael GJ, McMahon SB. Sensory neuron downregulation of the Kv9.1 potassium channel subunit mediates neuropathic pain following nerve injury. J Neurosci. 2012 Nov 28;32(48):17502-13. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3561-12.2012..."I'd just like to notify you about a recent paper from my team which utilised iFect for in vivo transfection of dorsal root ganglia." Dr. Christoforos Tsantoulas, University of Cambridge...i-Fect-siRNA-mediated knock-down of Kv9.1 in naive rats led to neuropathic pain behaviors...

These add to the many publications referencing use of i-Fect to deliver siRNA. Genes studied include:  DOR, hTERT, The β3 subunit of the Na+,K+-ATPase, rSNSR1, NTS1. NAV1.8, , RANK, Toll-Like Receptors, Kv Recptors, BDNF, Ret, TRPV1, Survivin, Flaviviruses, NOV, Troy β-arrestin, TRPV1 CAV1.2 TLR4 and ASIC.

MSCGro Media-locity

We can say our MSCGro^TM Media Mesenchymal stem Cell Media stacks up well vs our competition. The proof, though, is in the data and what our customers say. Here's a testimonial: ""Your MSC-Gro^TMmedia worked great. We carried out a simple pilot study where we plated an equal number of cells from a few CAF samples in both our traditional media and yours. We took a look at the cells on a daily basis, and by 3-4 days we saw a clear increase in cell numbers using your media." Obdulio Piloto, Ph.D., CSO of Conversantbio Inc.

And here is data:

Check out our MSCGro Media for yourself and if you re not delighted with the results, we will refund 100% of your purchase.

Increasing Returns in Drug Discovery

"Harnessing the Power of Cells"
 

Cell based assays presentation v1_03_2012 from Pete Shuster

This presentation provides an executive overview of how our Solutions can improve Drug Discovery processes.

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