Motor Neurons Morphology Assay

Motor neurons are a specialized type of nerve cell that transmits signals from the brain or spinal cord to muscles, enabling voluntary movement. The morphology, or physical structure, of motor neurons is essential for their proper function, and any abnormalities can lead to various neurodegenerative diseases, such as ALS and SMA. Therefore, the characterization of motor neuron morphology is crucial for understanding their structure and function and developing effective therapies for motor neuron diseases. Creative Biolabs offers a comprehensive range of characterization services for motor neurons.

Motor Neuron Production

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which present new opportunities for modeling disease processes and screening drug libraries of the central nervous system (CNS). We have developed technology to produce very large quantities of highly enriched human neurons from patient iPSCs and to greatly accelerate their maturation. The workflow for producing motor neurons from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) involves several critical steps, including iPSC generation, NPC differentiation, motor neuron differentiation, and quality control testing.

Fig.1 General workflow for Neuron Production. (Faye, 2020)

Motor Neuron Cell Bodies/Neurites Assay

Motor neuron morphology assays involve the analysis of various morphological features of motor neurons, such as dendritic arborization, axonal length, and branching patterns. These features can provide insights into the cellular mechanisms underlying motor neuron development, plasticity, and degeneration. At Creative Biolabs, we offer motor neuron morphology assay services using state-of-the-art techniques, such as immunofluorescence staining, confocal microscopy, and image analysis. Our assays are highly sensitive and can detect subtle changes in motor neuron morphology, making them valuable tools for studying motor neuron diseases.

Motor Neuron High-content Imaging Service

Creative Biolabs has developed two high-throughput screening (HTS) systems using human motor neurons derived from individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Using genome editing techniques on the iPSC lines, the reporter nanoluciferase (Nluc) was fused to endogenous neurofilament light chain (NFL) for ALS and full-length SMN2 for SMA. Nanoluciferase is more sensitive than the traditional luciferase and allows for a simple and quantitative readout of NFL and SMN2 protein levels. This cell model system demonstrates the feasibility of running HTS campaigns using human neurons, which present a more physiologically relevant drug discovery platform.

Fig. 2 Images of neurite deterioration at 24 Hours (left) and 48 Hours (right). (Li, 2021)

Our Advantages

In conclusion, the characterization of motor neuron morphology is essential for understanding their structure and function and developing effective therapies for motor neuron diseases. Creative Biolabs is committed to providing customized and high-quality services to our clients. If you are looking for reliable and efficient motor neuron characterization services, get in touch with us today to find out more about how we can support you in your endeavors!

References

1. Faye, Pierre-Antoine, et al. "Optimized protocol to generate spinal motor neuron cells from induced pluripotent stem cells from charcot marie tooth patients." Brain Sciences 10.7 (2020): 407.
2. Li, Shuaizhang, et al. "Evaluation of chemical compounds that inhibit neurite outgrowth using GFP-labeled iPSC-derived human neurons." Neurotoxicology 83 (2021): 137-145.