Astrocytes have essential roles in neurodevelopment and disease. Over the years, Creative Bioarray has worked to develop multiple strategies to reprogram fibroblasts into astrocytes. Our efficient and professional technical support will help our customers generate functional astrocytes for a wide range of experimental applications.
Background
Astrocytes are indispensable for maintaining brain homeostasis and are the most abundant neuronal cell type in the central nervous system. They play irreplaceable roles in the developing, healthy and diseased brain and are involved in multiple processes including neurotransmitter transport and recycling, regulation of blood supply, nutrient and ion metabolism, prevention of oxidative stress, and release of transmitters and growth factors. Moreover, astrocyte dysfunctions lead to the development of several neurological diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), epilepsy, Rett syndrome and lysosomal storage disease.
Therapeutic approaches that rely on the isolation of astrocyte progenitor cells from the neonatal brain suffer from an inadequate supply of cells and a mismatch with the immune profile of the host. Recently, large advances have been made in establishing multiple direct cell reprogramming methods to develop specific induced neuronal sublines. The development of direct cell reprogramming technology allows researchers to generate astrocytes from immune-matched or autologous-derived adult skin fibroblasts. This method has the advantage of overcoming these bottlenecks and providing more practical programs to generate astrocyte-like cells.
Fig.1 NFIA, NFIB, and SOX9 efficiently reprogram mouse fibroblasts into iAstrocytes. (Caiazzo, 2015)
Our Services
After years of efforts, researchers at Creative Bioarray have developed a variety of efficient and practical reprogramming programs to help customers generate astrocyte-like cells. We offer services including but not limited to:
- Obtaining astrocytes from somatic cells via iPSC intermediates.
- Transformation of mouse fibroblasts into functional astrocytes using direct chemical reprogramming methods without transgenesis or viral transduction.
- Efficient conversion of fibroblasts to astrocyte fate via a minimal set of TFs.
- Provides gene expression profiling and functional testing to demonstrate whether reprogrammed astrocytes are comparable to natural brain astrocytes.
Applications
- Study on the role of the astrocytic compartment in the genesis and development of neurological disorders
- Development of astrocyte cell-replacement therapies
- Biomedical applications
Advantages
- Straightforward and fast protocols
- Reliable and appropriate services
- Professional and creative research team
- Flexible and efficient solutions
Creative Bioarray is committed to providing a full range of cell reprogramming services from initial consultation and service requests to experimental design and feedback on the final experimental report. We are well-positioned to provide you with professional solutions and handle your project. If you need services for reprogramming fibroblasts into astrocytes, please feel free to contact us.
Reference
- Caiazzo, M.; et al. Direct conversion of fibroblasts into functional astrocytes by defined transcription factors. Stem cell reports. 2015, 4(1): 25-36.