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Microphysiological models of the developing nervous system (SOT workshop session overview)
Citation:
Knudsen, T. AND W. Slikker. Microphysiological models of the developing nervous system (SOT workshop session overview). Presented at Society of Toxicology, San Diego, CA, March 22 - 26, 2015.
Impact/Purpose:
Workshop Overview, session accepted onto the 2015 program: "MICROPHYSIOLOGICAL MODELS OF THE DEVELOPING NERVOUS SYSTEM: BIOLOGICALLY DRIVEN ASSEMBLY INSPIRED BY EMBRYOLOGY AND TRANSLATED TO HUMAN DEVELOPMENTAL TOXICOLOGY"
Description:
Recent advances using human stem cells and other cells that can be ushered through differentiation and developmental maturation offer an unprecedented opportunity to develop predictive systems for toxicological assessment. The use of human cells is an advantage because there is no need to extrapolate across species, but even so, there may be the requirement that different cell types interact in a three dimensional (3D) relationship in order to provide prediction of the intact human. For example, in the developing nervous system, multiple cell types including neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes interact in the presence of growth factors, cytokines and other hormones to function within a 3D spatial configuration that can reflect normal biological functioning in a predictive manner. The purpose of this workshop is to take a close look at the novel approaches being applied for biologically-driven assembly, in which exploiting the capacity of an embryo to build tissues and organs from scratch, and the multicellular response dynamics in biologically-driven assembly are facilitating ‘human-on-a-chip’ microscale systems and other cellular-complex culture models for evaluating developmental neurotoxicity. The individual topics will address the progress that has been made concerning how the cellular microenvironment dictates tissue morphogenesis and the importance of 3D cellular architecture in cellular function; identification of signaling pathways that contribute to exogenously-induced developmental neurotoxicity; mini-brain organoid platforms to study complex cellular networks and disease models for drug development, toxicology and medicine; and the requirement for quantitative outcome measures that are essential to the overall success of the organotypic culture approach in order for it to be predictive of the human situation. Standard approaches will be outlined with the use of positive and negative test agents to allow confirmation of the reproducibility of these in vitro test systems in different laboratory environments. The views expressed in this abstract do not necessarily reflect USEPA or USFDA policy.
URLs/Downloads:
OVERVIEW_KNUDSEN_SLIKKER.SOT WORKSHOP 2015DOCX.DOCXSOT_2015_ABSTRACT CENTRAL - DNT MICROSYSTEMS.PDF (PDF, NA pp, 128.208 KB, about PDF)