Assay to test viability and impairment of migration of human neural crest cells (cMINC; UKN2)

This in vitro test method uses human neural crest cells (NCCs) generated from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC). It assesses disturbances of NCC function during fetal development. The number of migrated NCC, as well as cell viability are measured simultaneously using high content imaging. The data of this method are meant to predict developmental disorders and malformations e.g. neural tube defects or craniofacial malformations caused by compound exposure during fetal development. The method has a well-established prediction model, and it has been used in the screening of several medium-sized compound libraries.

Descriptions of Assays

Our assays cover crucial functional endpoints for (developmental) neurotoxicity testing:

• Assay to test viability and impairment of migration of human neural crest cells (cMINC; UKN2);
• Assay to test compound-derived impairment in neurite outgrowth in human mature dopaminergic neurons (NeuriTox; UKN4);
• Assay to test compound-derived impairment in neurite outgrowth in human iPSC-derived immature dorsal root ganglia (iDRG) neurons (PeriTox; UKN5).
• Neurofunctional assays based on receptor interactions, for dopamine transporter and assessing network formation (e.g. assessment of Ca²+ signaling and electrical activity on multi-electrodes arrays);
• Assays for neuroprotective drug candidates in conventional cell cultures and complex organoids.

Services provided include:

• Use of in vitro tests for the assessing of developmental toxicity (DT) and developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) hazard.
• Use of in vitro tests for the assessing of neurotoxicity (NT) hazard
• Use of in vitro tests for assessing efficacy and mode of action (MoA) of neuroprotective drugs.
• Complementation of in vivo studies for NT, DNT, DT to provide important information on MoA of chemicals.

Vendor: CAAT-Europe