Cell-based studies of neuronal and network aberrations in psychiatric disorders may lead to predictions of activity-dependent environmental influences that contribute to disease progression. Thus, cellular models have become an important approach in psychiatric disorder research. As an industry-leading CRO company, Creative Biolabs provides comprehensive cellular model development services. With extensive experience accumulated from hundreds of successful projects, we are capable of offering customer-satisfied services to global researchers.
Importance of Cellular Models in Psychiatric
A meaningful analysis of freshly isolated microglia from a healthy or patient's brain is extremely difficult since the material is very limited and the tissue obtained post-mortem or during brain surgery often comes with artifacts or comorbidities. Human cell-based models can be ideal experimental paradigms with which to investigate disease mechanisms. Both human-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) neurons and induced neurons (iNeurons) have the capacity to generate vast numbers of live human neurons for the study of psychiatric disorders. Because iNeuron generation bypasses neuronal differentiation and maturation, hiPSC neurons are likely the best method by which to model developmental facets of the disease. Conversely, the rapid experimental timeframe of iNeuron generation makes it an ideal system with which to study phenotypic effects in mature neurons.
Cellular Models in Psychiatric Disorders
The transient expression of four factors (OCT3/4, KLF4, SOX2, and c-MYC) is sufficient to directly reprogram adult somatic cells into an iPSC state. iPSCs can be derived from many easily accessible tissue sources of patients such as skin fibroblasts or blood. Methods to efficiently differentiate pluripotent stem cells from neurons were developed initially in studies using human embryonic stem cells. Through the addition of various morphogens to recapitulate the cues of embryonic development, ESCs and iPSCs can be directed to differentiate to regional identities including the forebrain, midbrain/ hindbrain, and spinal cord. It is generally thought that every cell type present in vivo can be differentiated in vitro using hiPSCs, although methods for many remain unexplored or inefficient.
An alternative approach for generating patient-specific neurons to study complex psychiatric disorders is now possible. Expression of four factors (ASCL1, BRN2, MYT1L, and NEUROD) can convert fibroblasts into functional iNeurons in vitro. The process is rapid, generating electrophysiologically mature neurons with functional synapses within 14 days, and it is efficient, yielding up to 8% neurons. To date, methods exist to transform fibroblasts directly to glutamatergic and dopaminergic neurons, but methods to generate GABAergic iNeurons have not yet been reported.
Services at Creative Biolabs
With proven expertise in psychiatry, Creative Biolabs aspire to transform our acknowledge, experience, and technologies into customer-satisfied services to promote industry development. Committed to psychotropic drug development for years, we have accumulated extensive experience from practice, thus we are capable of providing high-quality customize cellular model development services.
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Deep industry experience
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Specialists with advanced degrees
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High-quality services with competitive price
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Professional and efficient platform
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Reliable industry reputation
With multiple advantages, cellular models have become an indispensable part of psychiatric disorder research. Creative Biolabs has established a comprehensive cellular model development platform to provide our clients with excellent relative services. If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact us.
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