In vitro chronic neurotoxicity assays: Present and future developments

Pressure from our aging population’s vulnerability to neurodegenerative disease necessitates the development of experimental platforms to research brain pathology and new drug design, as well as the detection of toxic impact on both the adult and developing CNS. Although exciting human stem cell models are under development, the NT2.D1 teratocarcinoma model differentiates into a co-culture of neurones and astrocytes which, combined with bioreactors and models of the human blood brain barrier such as hCMEC/D3 cells, affords probably the most relevant and flexible opportunity available to investigate teratogenic and toxic chemical impact on the most basic functional and structural aspects of the human CNS.