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Primary Cell Lines
Overview of Primary Cell Lines in Neuroscience
Since the beginning of the past century, neuroscientists and biologists have devoted considerable efforts to developing in vitro methods to culture nerve cells. These in vitro systems have played an important role in the understanding of basic physiological processes of nervous system cells and can also be used to analyze the neurotoxic effects of chemicals and their underlying mechanisms. Neurons in primary culture are prepared directly from animal brain tissue and do not divide in culture. After isolation and plating, neurons form synapses and become electrically active, acquiring a neuronal phenotype, and ultimately dye. In choosing an in vitro cell culture model based on primary cultures, one should consider the fact that neurons from different areas of the nervous system have different characteristics and properties.
Examples of Primary Cell Lines Application in Neuroscience
- Cerebellar Granule Cells
Cerebellar granule cells are interneurons in the granular layer of the cerebellar cortex and represent the most numerous neuronal populations in the cerebellum. The high purity of cerebellar granule cell cultures makes these neurons particularly suitable for in vitro studies. Cultures of embryonic rat hippocampal neurons have found favor in basic neurobiology and are also relevant for neurotoxicology.
Fig. 1 Timetable and sources of the cerebellar neurogenesis and granule cells formation.1
- Cholinergic Neurons
The cholinergic system appears to be involved in physiological responses to neuropsychiatric disorders, such as anxiety, schizophrenia, pain sensation, Parkinson's disease (PD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), and other cognitive dysfunction. Clinical studies have reported the atrophy of the basal forebrain cholinergic neurons in AD patients. In addition, forebrain cholinergic neurons degeneration was found in the brain of patients with PD. There is evidence of the protective effects of cholinergic system stimulation in multiple sclerosis.
- Striatal Neurons
The striatum is a subcortical area of the brain, which represents the major component of the basal ganglia and processes the inputs involved involuntary movements. More than 90% of neurons in the striatum are the so-called medium spiny neurons, characterized by the presence of fine spines on the dendrites which use GABA as a neurotransmitter. All cortical areas send excitatory glutaminergic projections to specific portions of the striatum. The striatum also receives excitatory inputs from the intralaminar nuclei of the thalamus, dopaminergic projections from the midbrain, and serotoninergic input from the raphe nuclei. Depletion of dopamine in the striatum, as seen in Parkinson's disease, may lead to impaired movements.
Services at Creative Biolabs
Primary cell lines have great significance in neuroscience research and are among the most important neuroscience research tools. As a professional in neuro-based research, Creative Biolabs has invested a lot of manpower, material resources, and financial resources in neuroscience-based primary cell lines and the development of relevant custom productions. With strong foundations and years of hard work, we are confident in the quality of our services. If you are interested in neuro-based primary cell lines or have any other requirements about neuroscience and relevant custom productions, please feel free to contact us for more information.
Here is an overview of our primary cell lines services for neuroscience research:
- Isolation and Culture: We offer isolation and culture services for a variety of primary cell lines, including neurons, astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes.
- Characterization: All of our primary cell lines undergo rigorous characterization to confirm their identity and purity. This includes immunocytochemistry, flow cytometry, and gene expression analysis to verify the specific cell type.
- Functional Assays: We offer a range of functional assays to assess the physiological properties of our primary cell lines, such as electrophysiology, calcium imaging, and cell signaling studies.
- Custom Services: In addition to our standard primary cell line services, we also offer custom services to meet your unique research needs. This includes cell line engineering, genetic modification, and co-culture studies.
Our primary cell line services provide a reliable and cost-effective solution for your neuroscience research projects. We also offer other related services, including but not limited to:
| Services | Descriptions |
|---|---|
| STEMOD™ Neuroscience Ex Vivo Models | For different research purposes, we can provide services including but not limited to: custom neural differentiation services, custom brain spheroids, custom brain organoid services, custom CNS disease modeling services, blood-brain barrier models. |
| Neurotoxicity Screening | We offer a range of iPSC-derived neuronal lineage cells for your project, and we can also reprogram and differentiate iPSC cells from your samples. The general screening process consists of a 3-step process that includes generation of cell lines from iPSCs, differentiation of neural cells, and disease modeling and neurotoxicity screening. For your specific needs, we can also customize the program. |
| STEMOD™ Advanced Drug Discovery | We develop integrated technology platforms to provide one-stop CNS drug discovery services, including studies on BBB transport and distribution in the brain. |
Published Data
Interactions between neurons, astrocytes and microglia have a major impact on the neuroinflammatory response to CNS injury. Therefore, there is a need for multi-cell culture systems that can mimic the effects of crosstalk between different cells in the CNS on neuroinflammation.
Noah Goshi et al. developed an enhanced cell culture model that consists of neurons, astrocytes and microglia. Primary rat cortical cells taken from neonatal rats were cultured in serum-free medium, which is specialized to support all three cell types. The results of the study indicate that the triple culture consisting of neurons, astrocytes and microglia mimics the neuroinflammatory response in vivo more faithfully than standard monocultures and co-cultures. Such triple cultures can be a useful tool for studying neuroinflammation in vitro and can improve the accuracy of predicting neuroinflammatory phenomena in vivo.
Fig. 3 Tri-culture media is capable of supporting neurons, astrocytes, and microglia.3
Application of Primary Cell Lines
- Neural Cell Culture Models
- Neurodegenerative Disease Modeling
- Neuroinflammation and Immunology Studies
- Electrophysiological Research
- Neural Stem Cell and Progenitor Cell Studies
- Neurotoxicity and Drug Screening
- Coculture and 3D Neurosphere Models
- Gene Expression and Pathway Analysis
FAQs
Q: Can I request custom isolation and expansion of specific neural cell types?
A: Absolutely. Our service is highly customizable to suit your specific research requirements. We offer custom isolation, expansion, and cryopreservation of primary neural cell types according to your species, region of interest, and application needs. You can discuss your precise specifications with our technical experts, and we will develop a tailored process to provide the exact cell population required.
Q: What is the typical expansion potential of primary neural cells?
A: Primary cells generally have limited expansion potential compared to immortalized lines. However, we provide primary neural cells that have been optimized for robust growth. Depending on the cell type, they can be expanded for a few passages while retaining their physiological properties. We recommend careful monitoring during expansion to prevent phenotypic drift, especially for sensitive cell types like neurons.
Q: What is the expected turnaround time from order placement to delivery?
A: Our standard primary cell lines are typically available for shipment within 1-2 weeks from the time of order placement. For custom isolations or large-volume requests, the lead time may extend to 3-4 weeks. We prioritize timely delivery without compromising cell quality. Shipping schedules are coordinated closely with your lab's availability to ensure optimal handling upon arrival.
Q: Do you offer any additional support for culturing primary neural cells in specific applications?
A: Yes, we offer comprehensive technical support and protocol guidance for various applications, such as 3D cultures, co-cultures, or drug screening. Whether you need help optimizing media conditions, troubleshooting issues, or setting up specialized assays, our experts are available to assist you throughout the process. We also provide culture kits and tailored media formulations designed specifically for each cell type.
Scientific Resources
Reference
- Vriend, Jerry, Saeid Ghavami, and Hassan Marzban. "The role of the ubiquitin proteasome system in cerebellar development and medulloblastoma." Molecular brain 8 (2015): 1-14. Distributed under Open Access license CC BY 4.0, without modification.
For Research Use Only. Not For Clinical Use.