Motor Neuron related In Vitro Assay Services

Motor neurons are a class of neurons within the nervous system that are responsible for controlling muscle movement. They can be further subdivided into upper motor neurons and lower motor neurons. When these neurons are damaged, they are unable to receive and transmit instructions in the usual manner, which can result in a range of serious diseases collectively known as Motor Neuron Disease (MND). The evaluation of motor neuron function is central in understanding the basic mechanisms of motor control, and has potential application in disease diagnosis and treatment. At Creative Biolabs, a comprehensive range of characterization services is available for the assessment of motor neuron morphology, function, and viability. To learn more about our products and services, submit a project request, or request a quote, please contact us today.

Human iPSC-derived Motor Neuron

After years of dedicated effort, we have successfully developed our own proprietary human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) platform. iPSC technology enables the generation of iPSCs from a patient's own somatic cells (such as fibroblasts or peripheral blood mononuclear cells) and subsequent differentiation into specific neural cell types.

Fig.1 Human iPSC-derived Motor Neuron Timeline.¹

iPSC-derived motor neurons offer significant potential for disease modeling, drug screening, and the development of treatments for neurodegenerative diseases. For instance, they can be employed to create a drug screening platform with the genetic background of a patient with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

What can we provide?

• Motor Neurons Morphology Assay

We utilize a range of analytical metrics to evaluate the morphology of motor neurons, including cell body surface area, number and complexity of dendritic branches, dendritic diameter, and other key parameters. Additionally, we visualize specific proteins and structures within the cell. Together, these data facilitate an understanding of the relationship between neuronal morphology and function.

• Motor Neurons Patch Clamp Assay

Patch clamp assays measure the electrical activity of single cells. Specifically, they measure the potential and current across the cell membrane. This classical method in neuroscience has been used to study the impact of vast numbers of proteins, drugs, and more on neuron health and behavior. In motor neurons, patch clamp allows researchers to track their functionality, allowing for investigation of disease, treatment, and more.

• Motor Neurons Phenotypic Screening Assay

Our motor neuron phenotypic screening assays are suitable for in vitro disease modeling and drug screening. We employ a range of phenotypic screening methods, including techniques such as calcium imaging, multi-electrode array (MEA) recording, and high-content screening (HCS). These methods allow us to detect multiple phenotypic features of motor neurons, such as protein accumulation, hyperexcitability, and neuronal death.

At Creative Biolabs, our motor neuron assays offer reliable and precise data for your research needs. We invite you to contact us to discuss your project plans in detail.

Reference

1. Castillo Bautista, Cristina Marisol, and Jared Sterneckert. "Progress and challenges in directing the differentiation of human iPSCs into spinal motor neurons." Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology 10 (2023): 1089970. Distributed under Open Access license CC BY 4.0, without modification.