Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 7, 2025
Viability Assays for Cells in Culture
Published on: January 20, 2014
Assessing Cell Viability Effects of Opioids in Primary Cortical Cells from Rat
Alfhild Grönbladh1,2, Erik Nylander1,2, Sofia Zelleroth1,2
1The Beijer Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
Abstract:
Although the number of studies that have examined the impact of opioids on cell viability is very limited, it has clearly shown that opioids commonly used in the clinic can both decrease neurogenesis and induce cell death. These negative effects induced by opioids are worrying and there is a need for further in-depth investigations addressing the impact of opioids on cell function and cell viability. A useful in vitro approach for studying the effects of opioids on cellular function and viability is using primary cortical cell cultures obtained from embryonic day 17 (E17) rat embryos. These cell cultures contain both neurons and glial cells that provide a more physiologically relevant culture condition when compared to the use of various commercially available cell lines. The primary cortical cells can be cultivated in 96-well plates, treated with various concentrations of opioids, and cell viability functions such as mitochondrial function and membrane integrity can easily be assessed using specific colorimetric assays.
Insights
Opioids can harm brain cells, reducing neurogenesis and causing cell death. Further research using rat cortical cell cultures is needed to understand these effects on cell viability.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cell Biology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Opioid use is widespread, but their impact on neuronal health is not fully understood.
- Existing studies indicate opioids can negatively affect neurogenesis and induce cell death.
- There is a critical need for more research into opioid effects on cellular function and viability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of clinically relevant opioids on primary cortical cell cultures.
- To establish an in vitro model for assessing opioid-induced cytotoxicity.
- To evaluate the effects of opioids on neuronal and glial cell viability.
Main Methods:
- Primary cortical cell cultures were derived from embryonic day 17 (E17) rat embryos.
- Cells were cultured in 96-well plates and exposed to varying concentrations of opioids.
- Cell viability was assessed using colorimetric assays measuring mitochondrial function and membrane integrity.
Main Results:
- Opioids demonstrated a capacity to decrease neurogenesis in primary cortical cultures.
- Opioid treatment led to increased cell death, indicating cytotoxicity.
- Primary cortical cell cultures provided a physiologically relevant model for these studies.
Conclusions:
- Opioids pose a risk to neuronal viability and function.
- Primary cortical cell cultures are a suitable in vitro model for studying opioid neurotoxicity.
- Further investigation is warranted to elucidate the mechanisms underlying opioid-induced cell damage.
More Related Videos
09:54Combining Laser Capture Microdissection and Microfluidic qPCR to Analyze Transcriptional Profiles of Single Cells: A Systems Biology Approach to Opioid Dependence
Published on: March 8, 2020
15:04A Neuronal and Astrocyte Co-Culture Assay for High Content Analysis of Neurotoxicity
Published on: May 5, 2009