Cell-Based Model Development
At Protheragen, we offer sophisticated cell-based models for rare neurological disease research, including tailored patient-derived models, neuronal and glial cell systems, and advanced 2D/3D co-culture models. Our extensive model capabilities support thorough research on the mechanisms of the disease, drug screening, and preclinical assessments.
Introduction to Cell-Based Models
Cell models have rapidly become one of the most important tools in neuroscience investigations as they provide a pathophysiologically relevant model for studying the mechanisms of disease, as well as the efficacy and toxicity of drugs. These models go from simple monolayer cultures to sophisticated three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures, each meant to capture particular features of the motor neuron disease and other rare neurological disorders.
Fig.1 Common cell culture system. (Peng Y, et al., 2021)
Types of Cell-Based Models
Monolayer Cultures
2D monolayer cell cultures grow cells in flat surfaces as a single layer since it is simple and reproducible for basic mechanistic studies and high-throughput screening in drug screening for neurological research. The models are especially helpful for the acute toxicity testing and the fast assessment of phenotypes in neuronal and glial cells.
Co-Culture Models
Co-culture models integrate two or more cell types in a shared microenvironment to study cell-cell interactions, paracrine signaling, and complex pathological processes. These models connect single-cell cultures with whole organism studies and provide information on neuroinflammation, synaptic pruning, and blood-brain barrier (BBB) physiology.
3D Cell Culture Systems
3D cell cultures systems reconstruct tissue-like structures with spheroids, organoids, or scaffold-based cultures which more accurately emulate in vivo environments for examining cell-matrix interactions, gradient-dependent processes, and protracted disease progression. These models offer enhanced physiologic relevance for the disease modeling of neurodegenerative diseases and medication testing than the conventional two-dimensional systems.
Our Services
Protheragen specializes in the development of cutting-edge cell-based models, encompassing 2D and 3D cell culture systems, aimed at expediting the advancement of therapies for rare motor neuron diseases (MND) and neurological disorders. These models offer physiologically relevant platforms for target validation, drug screening, and preclinical assessment, effectively bridging the divide between research and clinical application.
Cell-Based Model Development Services
Patient-Derived Cell Model Development
We focus on developing authentic disease models using patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and primary cell cultures to preserve individual disease signatures for personalized therapeutic screening and mechanistic studies.
Protheragen engineers physiologically active astrocyte, microglia, oligodendrocyte and Schwann cell models to recapitulate neuroinflammatory responses, metabolic coupling and myelination processes in neurological diseases.
Neuronal Cell Model Development
Our scientists have engineered functional models of key neuronal subtypes, including motor neurons, dopaminergic neurons, GABAergic neurons, etc. These models can be used to study neurodegenerative diseases and test neuroprotective compounds.
Focusing on the design of 2D and 3D co-culture systems, our platform integrates patient-derived or gene-edited cells and uses transwell, microfluidics, 3D bioprinting to build functionally validated models to mimic complex disease mechanisms.
Workflow of Cell-Based Model Development
Client Needs Assessment
Model Design Consultation
Cell Engineering or Differentiation
QC Validation
Functional Characterization
Data Analysis & Report
Our Advantages
Human-Relevant Disease Modeling
Advanced Technical Platforms
Regulatory Compliance
Customized Solutions
Developed under strict ethical and regulatory standards, Protheragen's cell models ensure full traceability and translational relevance. These models provide a regulatory compliant platform for comprehensive pharmacodynamic (PD), pharmacokinetic (PK) and toxicology studies. If you are interested in our services, please feel free to contact us for more details and quotation information of related services.
Reference
- Peng Y, Chu S, Yang Y, et al. Neuroinflammatory in vitro cell culture models and the potential applications for neurological disorders[J]. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2021, 12: 671734.