Microglia Phagocytosis Assay Service

Microglia are the resident macrophages in the central nervous system (CNS). One of their most important characteristics is their ability to phagocytose, which plays a pivotal role in maintaining brain homeostasis and responding to neurodegenerative diseases. In vitro microglial phagocytosis assays assist in understanding how microglia maintain tissue homeostasis in healthy and disease states. At Creative Biolabs, our scientists are prepared to develop a custom research plan to meet your specific requirements. To determine which phagocytosis assay is best suited to your experiment, to learn more about our products and services, to submit a project request, or to request a quote, please contact us at your earliest convenience.

Microglial Platform Concept

Our optimized physiological culture method accurately reproduces the characteristics and morphology of microglia in vivo. Additionally, our laboratory is equipped with a live cell imaging device designed to effectively capture the cellular changes that occur throughout the life cycle of microglia, enabling long-term measurements and real-time cell visualization.

Microglia Phagocytosis Assays Methodology

• Fluorescence-labeled microspheres or bioparticles

Phagocytosis experiments typically utilize fluorescently labeled microspheres or bioparticles as phagocytic targets. In a typical assay, microglia are treated, then phagocytic targets are diluted and introduced to microglial culture medium, after which phagocytic activity is evaluated through immunofluorescence staining or flow cytometry.

• pH-dependent fluorescent conjugate

We use a range of pH-dependent fluorescent conjugates, which are pH-sensitive dye conjugates that fluoresce brightly in phagosomes and can label proteins, beta-amyloid (1-42), α-synuclein, and dead cells, making the assay highly customizable. The fluorescence of the assay increases as the pH decreases. No washing or quenching steps are required, and no compensation for environmental factors is needed, ensuring faster and more accurate results.

Case study: Human Aβ_1-42 pH-dependent fluorescent conjugate

Microglia play a key role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology by clearing toxic protein aggregates from the brain by engulfing amyloid. Therefore, the use of pH-dependent fluorescent conjugates of human Aβ_1-42 can provide a deeper understanding of how these cells respond and process material in these pathological states.

Fig.1 By conjugating a pH-sensitive dye to the N-terminus of human Aβ_1-42 peptide, a pH-dependent fluorescent Aβ_1-42 conjugate was synthesized.¹ Increased fluorescence was observed at acidic pH values from ~5.0 to ~2.0, covering the pH range of acidic organelles within the cell.

At Creative Biolabs, our microglial phagocytosis assay service employs cutting-edge technology to efficiently and gently isolate microglia and analyze microglial phagosomes, elucidating their pivotal roles in brain health and disease. This service offers invaluable support for neuroscience research. We invite you to contact us to discuss your project plans in detail.

Reference

1. Prakash, Priya, et al. "Monitoring phagocytic uptake of amyloid β into glial cell lysosomes in real time." Chemical Science 12.32 (2021): 10901-10918. Distributed under Open Access license CC BY 3.0, without modification.