In Vitro Developmental Neurotoxicity Testing: relevant models and endpoints

Neurotoxicity detection induced by chemicals represents a major challenge due to the physiological and morphological complexity of the central (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS). Currently in vitro test methods are mainly used to study the mechanisms of neurotoxicity rather than to predict hazards to human health and so far they play only a complementary role to in vivo testing. The brain consists of numerous different cell types such as, neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and microglia and the cell-cell interactions are of key importance for brain development and function. Several promising in vitro models for adult and developmental neurotoxicity testing have been developed. These models have shown to be useful and provide an important tool for functional studies at both cellular and molecular levels. A number of biological processes that are functional target sites for neurotoxicants in vivo can be studied at the level of cell morphology and function using an in vitro system. The range of various in vitro models can be applied starting from simple neuronal or glial cell lines where usually only one cell type is present, to more complex models such as monolayer of primary mixed neuronal and glial cultures or three-dimensional models, e.g. brain slices or re-aggregating primary cultures. These in vitro models and relevant endpoints are characterised and their applications for NT and DNT is be discussed in this chapter.

PRICE Anna;  HOGBERG Helena T.; 

2014-07-11

Springer

JRC87469

978-1-4939-0520-1,   

https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC87469,   

10.1007/978-1-4939-0521-8_6,