As a leading provider of preclinical glaucoma research, Ace Therapeutics aligns our disease modeling services with clients' investigative priorities and therapeutic development pipelines. Leveraging our experience and facilities, our team of experts provides custom microglia models to support your biopharmaceutical projects.
Introduction to Microglia
Microglia, the resident immune cells in the central nervous system (CNS), play a crucial role in maintaining structural and functional homeostasis, responding to injury, and modulating neuroinflammation. In the context of glaucoma, microglial activation has been implicated in neurodegenerative processes that lead to retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death and subsequent vision loss. Therefore, Understanding the behavior of microglia in glaucoma is essential for elucidating disease pathology and developing effective treatments. Recent studies have highlighted the dual role of microglia as both protectors and potential aggressors in neurodegenerative diseases, making them a critical focus for preclinical research.
Fig. 1 A schematic representation of 3 broad pathways for microglia influence on the onset and progression of glaucomatous degeneration. (Ahmad I and Subramani M, 2022)
Microglia Model Construction Services
Ace Therapeutics offers custom microglial models that accurately recapitulate the pathological conditions associated with glaucoma. Our team is capable of constructing these models from diverse sources, including human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to facilitate targeted research studies.
Primary Microglia Cultures
Primary microglia cultures are derived from brain tissues. We are committed to providing highly pure primary microglia cultures to enable researchers to investigate the molecular mechanisms of microglia activation, characterize the microglial secretome, and evaluate the efficacy of novel drugs targeting neuroinflammation.
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell (iPSC)-Derived Microglia
Given the challenges in obtaining primary cells and their limited proliferative capacity, we have developed iPSC-derived microglia that exhibit high similarity to native microglia in both transcriptomic profiles and functional characteristics. These derived cells have been demonstrated to respond to inflammatory stimuli, exhibit migratory behavior, display calcium signaling, and phagocytose CNS substrates. Our iPSC-derived microglia models provide distinct advantages for both high-throughput screening and long-term experimental studies, serving as a valuable resource for neurobiological research and related disciplines.
Co-culture Systems
Under well-controlled experimental conditions, we develop a co-culture system that integrates microglia with neurons, astrocytes, or other relevant cell types to investigate intercellular interactions and their pathological implications in glaucoma. Our co-culture system provides a more effective drug screening model, offering valuable insights into the cellular mechanisms underlying glaucoma and facilitating the development of targeted therapeutic strategies.
Key Applications of Custom Microglia Models in Glaucoma Research
At Ace Therapeutics, we are dedicated to providing a robust and reliable platform for exploring therapeutic interventions in glaucoma, enhancing researchers' understanding of microglial biology.
- Neuroinflammatory pathway dissection
- Therapeutic target validation
- Biomarker discovery
- High-throughput drug screening
From model development to data analysis, Ace Therapeutics offers comprehensive support throughout your research project. Our preclinical services provide comprehensive support and high-quality data to help you evaluate the potential of your therapeutic candidates. We welcome your inquiries and look forward to collaborating with you. Contact us now to learn more!
Reference
- Ahmad I, Subramani M. Microglia: Friends or Foes in Glaucoma? A Developmental Perspective. Stem Cells Transl Med, 2022, 11(12): 1210-1218.