Primary Astrocyte Culture and Isolation Service

Astrocytes are the common type of glial cells found in the central nervous system (CNS) and play a vital role in supporting neuronal activity as well as preserving the integrity of the blood-brain-barrier. Research into astrocytes has consistently shown that they have a substantial impact on brain disorders by modulating the functions of neurons, oligodendrocytes, and microglia.

Creative Biolabs' primary astrocytes provide researchers with high-quality, reliable, and reproducible astrocyte culture models derived from rodent and human brains. These services are designed to support a wide array of studies, including neurodegenerative disease modeling, neuroinflammation research, and synaptic function.

Key Advantages of Primary Astrocytes

Primary astrocytes, which are isolated directly from brain tissue and cultured, offer several key advantages for research and therapeutic applications. Here are some of the main benefits:

• Physiological Relevance: Being derived from native tissue, primary astrocytes maintain many of the physiological and biochemical properties of in vivo astrocytes. This makes them more representative of the actual brain environment compared to immortalized or cell line-derived astrocytes.
• Preservation of Cell Characteristics: Primary astrocytes retain their unique characteristics, signaling pathways, and functional behaviors, allowing researchers to study processes like neuroinflammation, synaptic support, and blood-brain barrier maintenance in a more authentic context.
• Expansion: Primary astrocytes are isolated from tissue and have not undergone extensive prior culture. In contrast to iPSCs-derived astrocytes, primary astrocytes can be cultured and expanded in vitro.

Applications of Primary Astrocytes in Research

• Neurobiology Studies
  
  • Investigating the physiological roles of astrocytes in neural circuitry.
  • Understanding astrocytic involvement in synaptic transmission and plasticity.
• Neuron-Astrocyte Interactions
  
  • Studying the communication between astrocytes and neurons and their role in neurotransmitter uptake and recycling.
  • Exploring how astrocytes influence neuronal survival, differentiation, and growth.
• Blood-brain Barrier Research
  
  • Modeling blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity in vitro.
  • Investigating the formulation of drugs that can effectively cross the BBB, including nanoparticles, liposomes, and other delivery systems.
• Injury and Disease Models
  
  • Modeling neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer's, Parkinson's) to study astrocytic response and dysfunction.
  • Investigating the role of astrocytes in brain injury, inflammation, and repair mechanisms.
• Inflammation and Immune Response
  
  • Studying the role of astrocytes in neuroinflammatory responses and their interactions with immune cells.
  • Investigating the production of inflammatory mediators and cytokines by astrocytes.
• Drug Discovery and Toxicology
  
  • Assessing the effects of pharmacological agents on astrocyte function and viability.
  • Evaluating the neurotoxic effects of environmental toxins or drugs on astrocytes.
• Gene Expression Studies
  
  • Analyzing gene expression changes in response to various stimuli such as inflammation or oxidative stress.
  • Using primary astrocytes to study the impact of gene manipulation.

Common Assays Utilize Primary Astrocytes

• Co-culture Systems
  
  • Co-culture with neurons and other neural cell types to enhance the study of neuronal behavior, synaptic connectivity, and neurophysiology. This approach mimics the brain's complex environment, facilitating research on neurological diseases, drug responses, and regenerative medicine.
  • Co-culture with endothelial cells and pericytes to model 3D BBB for the study of cellular interactions, permeability, and neurovascular functions in a controlled environment.
• Neuroinflammation Assay
  
  • Induce a reactive astrocyte phenotype with inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-1β, TNF-α) and characterize astrocyte properties.
• Glutamate uptake Assay
  
  • Culture primary astrocytes in the presence of radiolabeled glutamate and treat them with increasing doses of compounds to evaluate their glutamate uptake capability.
• Calcium Imaging
  
  • By loading astrocytes with calcium-sensitive dyes, researchers can monitor changes in intracellular calcium concentration in response to various stimuli like neurotransmitters or inflammatory factors, providing insight into astrocyte activation and signaling pathways.
• Lactate Production
  
  • Astrocytes play a crucial role in the metabolic support of neurons by producing lactate. Measuring lactate release from astrocytes can assess their metabolic activity and potential contribution to neuronal energy supply.