Immortalized Astrocyte Modeling Service

Astrocytes play a crucial role in maintaining the homeostasis of the central nervous system (CNS), supporting neuronal function, modulating synaptic activity, and responding to injury. Their involvement in various neuronal disorders has prompted researchers to explore them as therapeutic targets.

Primary astrocytes are isolated directly from humans or animals, and can typically be cultured for a limited number of passages, usually around 3 to 5 passages, before they undergo senescence and lose their original characteristics. In contrast, immortalized astrocytes are usually generated by transfecting primary astrocytes with human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) or Simian Virus 40 (SV40) T antigens, allowing them to proliferate indefinitely in culture.

Creative Biolabs has a strong focus on utilizing immortalized astrocytes for various research applications. If you need assistance or further information regarding your project involving astrocytes, feel free to reach out to us directly.

Popular Astrocytes Models

The following astrocytes cell lines are widely used for research:

Human-derived Astrocytes

• Human SVG P12 Cell Line
• Immortalized Human Astrocytes from Creative Biolabs
• Immortalized Human Retinal Astrocytes from Creative Biolabs

Mouse-derived Astrocytes

• Mouse C8-D1A Cell Line
• Immortalized Mouse Astrocytes from Creative Biolabs
• Mouse CD-830 Cell Line
• Mouse C8-S Cell Line

Rat-derived Astrocytes

• Rat CTX TNA2 Cell Line
• Immortalized Rat Astrocytes from Creative Biolabs
• Rat DI TNC1 Cell Line

Custom Immortalized Astrocytes from Human/Animals

We also provide Custom Immortalized Astrocytes from Human/Animals based on your experimental requirements, which maintain astrocytic features: 1) Expression of astrocytic markers; 2) Functional expression of inwardly rectifying K+ channels; 3) Glutamate up-take

Applications

• Astrocytes biology: Immortalized astrocytes allow researchers to explore the fundamental biology of these star-shaped glial cells in a controlled environment. By maintaining their proliferation and functionality, scientists can investigate the roles of astrocytes in brain homeostasis, metabolism, and the regulation of blood-brain barrier integrity. Such studies enhance our understanding of astrocyte differentiation, signaling pathways, and response to injury or stress.
• Astrocytes-neuron interactions: The interactions between astrocytes and neurons are crucial for maintaining neuronal health and function. Immortalized astrocytes provide a platform to study these interactions, including the release of gliotransmitters and the modulation of synaptic activity. Researchers can analyze how astrocytes support neuronal survival, influence neurotransmitter uptake and release, and contribute to the plasticity of neuronal networks, shedding light on the bidirectional communication that is essential for proper brain function.
• Glial interactions: Immortalized astrocytes enable the investigation of interactions within the glial population, including those between astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglia. Understanding these interactions is vital for elucidating their collective roles in neuroinflammation, myelination, and the overall maintenance of the central nervous system. By studying these dynamics, researchers can gain insights into how glial cells coordinate responses to injury and disease.
• Astrocytes-associated neuronal diseases: Immortalized astrocytes are instrumental in modeling various neurological disorders associated with astrocytic dysfunction, such as Alzheimer's disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and multiple sclerosis. These models enable researchers to investigate the pathological alterations in astrocytic functions, including their response to neuroinflammation, impaired ion homeostasis, and altered neurotrophic factor production.

Case Study

The researchers used the rat astrocyte cell line CTX-TNA2 to investigate the effect of hemin on the expression levels of AQP2, TLR4, NF-κB (p65), IL-1β, and GFAP proteins.

Fig. 1 Hemin-induced astrocyte activation in rat astrocyte cell line CTX-TNA2.¹

Related Services

Reference

1. Deng, Shuwen et al. "AQP2 Promotes Astrocyte Activation by Modulating the TLR4/NFκB-p65 Pathway Following Intracerebral Hemorrhage." Front Immunol. 2022;13:847360. Distributed under Open Access license CC BY 4.0. The original images have been modified.