microBrain® 2D Assay Ready

Structure Leads to Improved Cell-Based Assay Outcomes

A Structured Environment for Cell Performance

StemoniX^® microBrain^® 2D Assay Ready, pre-plated product is a human iPSC-derived, balanced culture of cortical neurons and astrocytes (nominally 50%-50%) derived from a single source that demonstrates accelerated features of cell maturity, cell functionality and cell-to-cell interaction to closely represent human brain tissue.

microBrain cortical neurons are primarily excitatory (glutamatergic) neurons balanced with inhibitory (GABAergic) neurons (approx. 80% to 20% ratio).

microBrain 2D Assay Ready is delivered to the customer pre-plated, under ambient conditions and is an ideal model for neurotoxicity and neuro safety studies, high throughput screening and drug discovery.

Click here to read how microBrain 2D Assay Ready is being used in viral infection studies.

Neural Network Structure & Cell Maturity

The microBrain neural network structure develops extensively and supports enhanced maturity of the neurons and astrocytes. The effectiveness of microBrain’s network structure and cell maturity level is evident by:

Density of Functional Synapses Resulting in Active Neuronal Circuitry
Expression of Key Neuronal Genes
Strong Response to Neurotransmitters

MAP2 – GFAP – Nuclei

Extensive Network

MAP2 – Synapsin – Nuclei

Well-Developed Synapses

Gene Expression Profile Characterized in StemoniX microBrain Neural Cultures

Expression of Key Neural Genes

Glutamate Dose-Response Curve 8 weeks old

Responsive to Neurotransmitters

Neuron & Astrocyte Advantages

The relationship between neurons and astrocytes is well documented in literature and the benefits are now available in a pre-plated format via StemoniX microBrain 2D Assay Ready products. Astrocytes are known to support, protect and enhance the development of neurons. microBrain’s neurons have a fully developed foundation of astrocytes that have been derived from a single source resulting in a truly physiological relevant neural model.

microBrain Demonstrates Effectiveness as a Screening Model

The relationship between neurons and astrocytes is well documented in the literature. Astrocytes are known to support, protect and enhance the development and function of neurons. The neurons in microBrain have a fully developed foundation of astrocytes that have been derived from a single source and display key markers of cellular identity, resulting in a truly physiologically relevant neural model.

Known compounds demonstrated functional toxicity in human neurons in-vitro
Human neural progenitor cells are more sensitive to toxicity compared
to more mature cells
Human iPSC-derived neural cells can be a powerful platform to
predict toxicity of drugs to the CNS

Heat map of cell viability at different stages of cortical neuronal differentiation. PrestoBlue (Thermo) was used to assess cell viability. Heat map units in percentage of viability.