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Updated: Feb 19, 2026

Functional Evaluation of Biological Neurotoxins in Networked Cultures of Stem Cell-derived Central Nervous System Neurons
Published on: February 5, 2015
Overview of Neurotoxicology
1Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
Abstract:
The nervous system has a central and primary function in the body, and its relevance and complexity make it a target for a large number of toxic substances. The most common forms of neurotoxicity are the death of neurons (neuronopathy), the degeneration of axons (axonopathy), damage to glial cells (e.g., myelinopathy), and interference with the axonal membrane or neurotransmission. Important neurotoxicants are found among pesticides, metals, solvents, natural substances, and industrial chemicals. Environmental chemicals may also contribute to the etiopathogenesis of neurodevelopmental, neuropsychiatric, and neurodegenerative disorders. Specific testing guidelines exist to assess potential neurotoxicity and developmental neurotoxicity in particular, and novel alternative testing approaches are being developed. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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