Abstract

BrainSpheres to Study Developmental Neurotoxicity

David Pamies, Researcher, University of Lausanne

Developmental neurotoxicity is of high concern due to different reasons: 1) no routine testing for DNT is carried out in the U.S., in the EU, or elsewhere, as DNT testing is not required by law unless triggered by neurotoxic or endocrine effects in adult rodents, 2) DNT guidelines are expensive and time-consuming, 3) human brain complexity may not be completely tested by animal testing, and 4) brain defects can be difficult to detect. Experts in the field have suggested an in vitro testing battery to cover brain development key events (such as neural stem cell proliferation and differentiation, migration, neurite outgrowth, synaptogenesis, network formation, myelination, and apoptosis). Also, the use of more human-relevant models, using 3D organotypic iPSC derived systems, have been suggested as an alternative to classical in vitro models. Here we present a 3D brain human-derived iPSC model to study developmental neurotoxicity and different applications of the model.