Custom 3D In Vitro Model of Ischemic Stroke

Most of the knowledge from in vitro ischemic stroke studies is based on monolayer cultures of neural cells. This traditional simplified culture system is of undisputed importance for stroke research, especially given its relatively low cost and reproducibility compared to animal models. However, two-dimensional (2D) cultures cannot mimic the complex microenvironment experienced by cells in tissues. Unlike cells in 2D culture, in the brain, cells are able to generate 3D projections and establish multiple interactions with other cells and cell types as well as the extracellular matrix (ECM), ultimately affecting their morphology, survival and proliferation, differentiation, gene expression, and even function. Therefore, 3D models of the brain are considered to be more realistic models of the human brain than traditional 2D models and can better simulate its complexity and possible ischemia-induced responses.

Fig. 1. Engineering 3D cortical spheroids for an in vitro ischemic stroke model. Fig. 1. Engineering 3D cortical spheroids for an in vitro ischemic stroke model. (Ko et al., 2021)

Custom 3D In Vitro Models of Ischemic Stroke

Ace Therapeutics is committed to developing 3D in vitro models of ischemic stroke. Our team of expert scientists and engineers combine their extensive knowledge and experience to create highly reproducible and customizable 3D models of the cerebral spheroids or organoids.

In Vitro Modeling Method

	Cerebral Spheroids	Cerebral Organoid
Cellular Source	Differentiated cells, multicellular mixture, primary cells	Stem cells: embryonic, adult, or pluripotent
Culture Conditions	Cultures with or without ECM and growth factors, self-assemble on heterogenous sphere format	Require ECM and growth factors, self-assemble with different cell lineages, resembling the structure and function of an organ
Advantages	Allow co-culture Cost-effective No expensive material Create a gradient of pH, nutrients, and gas Quick preparation, easy to maintain, suitable for HTS	Allow co-culture Reproduction of cell-cell and cell-ECM interactions Stable for long-term maintenance

Advantages of Our 3D In Vitro Ischemic Stroke Models

Allow cells to aggregate in 3D shapes, as well as cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions that mimic brain tissue.
Investigate mechanisms involving each cell type during ischemia.
Closely mimic physiological behavior, presenting compact, organized structures with gene expression, protein production, and dynamic homeostasis.

Applications

Study the pathophysiology of stroke
High-throughput screening
Brain-protective drug research

Ace Therapeutics builds easy-to-execute programs for 3D in vitro ischemic stroke models to help clients with in vitro stroke injury assessment and treatment outcomes. Our 3D in vitro ischemic stroke models complement traditional 2D cell culture and animal studies. Need to know more? Contact us and let one of our experts provide you with all the answers you need.

Reference

Ko, E., et al. (2021). Engineering 3D cortical spheroids for an in vitro ischemic stroke model. ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering, 7(8), 3845-3860.

All of our services are intended for preclinical research use only and cannot be used to diagnose, treat or manage patients.