Application Note: Quantitative Live-Cell Analysis for Optimization

Of Culture Conditions and Evaluation of Cell Health in Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Neurons

A major limitation in studying human diseases affecting the nervous system is the ability to culture, monitor and analyze neuronal cells that accurately represent human phenotypes of these disorders. The use of human-induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived neurons has provided a new approach to modeling neurological diseases. Monitoring neuronal morphology and cell health in long-term culture is critical for the characterization and evaluation of these novel model systems. Traditional methods rely on endpoint assays and imaging techniques that require immunochemical staining, which lacks real-time kinetic information.

These approaches present a liability when studying nervous system models, where the integrity of neural networks is compromised and the dynamic complexity of neurological responses and features are lost. For these model systems, continual real-time monitoring offers a significant advantage by providing a more physiologically relevant picture of neuronal cell behavior, allowing for non-invasive, repeated measurements of the same neuronal networks over time and enabling the capture of rare or transient events often missed with end-point assays.