In Vitro Neuroinflammatory Models and Assays in Stroke Drug Discovery & Development

Introduction to the Role of Neuroinflammation in Stroke

Neuroinflammation is an inflammatory response in the brain that occurs in a variety of acute brain diseases. Neuroinflammation is regulated by the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), cytokines and chemokines. The acute neuroinflammation that occurs immediately after an acute stroke (mostly ischemic stroke) can last for several days. Microglia and astrocytes are activated within hours, leading to cytokine and chemokine production and resulting in leukocyte infiltration. In addition to their deleterious effects on the ischemic brain, inflammatory mediators may play a beneficial role in stroke recovery. To understand the potential mechanisms of neuroinflammation in ischemic stroke and to model high-throughput screening of stroke medications, there is an urgent need to develop suitable models for in vitro studies of neuroinflammation.

Fig. 1. Schematic representation of post-ischemic inflammatory response in stroke. (Jayaraj et al., 2019)

Custom In Vitro Neuroinflammatory Models and Assays Services

Ace Therapeutics leverages our long experience in developing standardized, state-of-the-art in vitro cultures, offers a wide range of in vitro neuroinflammatory models with high translational value for stroke research. Our team of experts uses 2D and 3D neuroinflammatory cell models to help clients study the molecular mechanisms of neuroinflammation in stroke in a simple and reproducible manner, and to provide data to support high-throughput screening of drugs in stroke.

In Vitro Neuroinflammatory Models

• Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neurons and glial cells
• BBB models
• Neuron-microglia co-cultures
• Neuron-primary microglia and neuron-BV2 cell co-cultures

In Vitro Neuroinflammatory Assays

• Astrocyte morphology and function
• Neuroinflammation induced by LPS or pro-inflammatory cytokines
• Neurite outgrowth assay
• Microglia activation and phagocytosis
• Confocal and super-resolution high-intensity imaging and analysis
• Optical electrophysiology platform to assess effects on neuronal excitability and synaptic function
• Assessment of cytokines and proteins associated with neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration
• Assessment of effects on gene expression following neuroinflammatory injury

Why Choose Us

• Our team of highly skilled scientists and researchers have extensive industry experience and a deep understanding of neuroinflammatory processes and stroke pathology.
• We provide advanced functional and endpoint assays for studying neuroinflammation in vitro, such as high-content imaging and optical electrophysiology.
• We design custom in vitro neuroinflammation models and assays based on our clients' specific research goals.

Ace Therapeutics provides reliable in vitro neuroinflammatory models and assays to screen stroke candidate drugs with anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties. As the field of iPSC-derived cell types continues to evolve, we continue to develop new protocols to explore the complexities of neuroinflammation. We would be happy to discuss customized approaches for your next neuroinflammation study. Please do not hesitate to contact us!

1. Jayaraj, R. L., et al. (2019). Neuroinflammation: friend and foe for ischemic stroke. Journal of neuroinflammation, 16, 1-24.