As drug discovery and development continue to advance, the importance of high content screening and in vitro models has become increasingly clear. In particular, the need for a blood-brain barrier (BBB) model. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a highly selective semipermeable membrane that separates circulating blood from the central nervous system, and its permeability is critical for drugs targeting regions of the brain. The challenges of using in vivo models for BBB permeability assessment have led to the development of in vitro models, such as the in vitro blood brain barrier permeability assessment offered by Visikol.
The Importance of The BBB
Disruption of the BBB is observed in many neurological disorders, including multiple sclerosis, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, and traumatic brain injury, and is frequently induced by neuroinflammation. Therefore, it is critical to assess the penetration kinetics of molecules passing across the BBB and to assess modulation of BBB permeability due to drug treatment.
While in vivo models have traditionally been used for BBB permeability assessment, they have several limitations. They are are expensive, time-consuming, and ethically challenging. Additionally, the BBB is a dynamic structure that can be influenced by many factors, such as age, disease, and drug treatment. It is difficult to control for these factors, and others, in in vivo models.
What Is High Content Screening?
High content screening is a method of in vitro assay services that allows for the assessment of multiple endpoints simultaneously at a cellular resolution. It involves the use of imaging-based endpoints to examine the specific effect of compound treatments on specific sub-populations of cells, as well as providing access to more complex measurements than can be accomplished with traditional assay formats. High content screening is used to deliver richer datasets than traditional assays and allows for the interrogation and quantitation of cellular response of disease models to treatments, stimuli, or alterations in protein expression.
How Our Model Works
Visikol’s in vitro blood-brain barrier permeability assessment utilizes a novel BBB in vitro model to assess the penetration kinetics of molecules passing across the BBB. The assay service allows for both compound transport across the barrier to be studied as well as the effect of compounds on the structure and function of the BBB. The in vitro model is cultured over 4 days to establish a viable barrier and dosed with test articles for twenty-four hours. The apparent permeability of test compounds in either the apical or basal direction and the change in apparent permeability of BBB due to the effect of drug compound can be measured. The in vitro model is validated with control compounds and reference compounds, and the results show a positive relationship between the apparent permeability seen within in vivo systems to in vitro models.
This assay service allows for the assessment of the penetration kinetics of molecules passing across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the effect of compounds on the structure and function of the BBB. The assay service allows for both compound transport across the barrier to be studied as well as the effect of compounds on the structure and function of the BBB. The apparent permeability of test compounds is calculated, and the in vitro model is validated with control compounds and reference compounds, showing a positive relationship between the apparent permeability seen within in vivo systems to in vitro models.
Visikol’s expertise in advanced imaging and image analysis, 3D cell culture models, and AI-enhanced digital pathology allows for the development of in vitro models that are more predictive of in vivo systems. Visikol’s in vitro blood-brain barrier permeability assessment can help unlock the potential of high content screening by providing valuable insights into the BBB permeability and transport kinetics of test compounds. This can help assess compound penetration and changes to BBB permeability, which is critical for drugs targeting regions of the brain. It can also be used to explore potential molecules that can modulate BBB permeability.
In conclusion, the in vitro blood brain barrier permeability assessment offered by Visikol can help unlock the potential of high content screening. The importance of BBB permeability for high content screening, the challenges of using in vivo models for this purpose, and how Visikol’s assay service can help provide valuable insights into the BBB permeability and transport kinetics of test compounds have been discussed. To learn more about Visikol’s in vitro blood brain barrier permeability assessment, please reach out to a member of our team.