NEURITE OUTGROWTH

Neuritic growth is a key readout to monitor neuronal function and health. Fluofarma has developed a range of in vitro neurite outgrowth assays, to be performed in a variety of cell lines or primary cell cultures, in order to identify and characterize compounds inducing neuroprotection, neuroregeneration, neurotoxicity, or modulating neuritogenesis.

KINETIC NEURITE OUTGROWTH ASSAY

> Kinetic & label-free neurite outgrowth monitoring performed by live-content imaging

> Segmentation of phase-contrast images & quantification of total neuritic network

> Neuroprotective or neurotoxic effects characterized over several days

Untreated

Untreated

Taxol 30nM

Taxol 30nM

Primary cortical neurons are plated and treated with Taxol for 10 days. Neuritic growth is then followed kinetically by phase contrast time-lapse imaging over several days. Phase contrast images are segmented and treatment effect is evaluated on representative neurite parameters such as branch points.

ENDPOINT NEURITE OUTGROWTH ASSAY

> Automated high-content imaging, using confocal microscopy

> Single-cell image analysis: neuritic growth can be ascribed to single cells using segmentation mask parameters

> Multiplexed detection with neuronal markers enables to measure neurite outgrowth in specific subpopulations

SIGNALING PATHWAY ASSAYS RELATED TO NEURITIC GROWTH

In addition to direct measurements of neuritogenesis, protein markers such as actin, tubulin, GSK3B, ERK, Jun, c-Fos, etc..., can be quantified at the single-cell level by high-content imaging to study specific signaling pathways/mechanisms of action.

>>> Learn more about our services in neurobiology