Register for free to listen to this article
Thank you. Listen to this article using the player above. ✖
Want to listen to this article for FREE?
Complete the form below to unlock access to ALL audio articles.
Astrocytes, critical players in the central nervous system (CNS), have long been overlooked in neurological research. In this interview, Dr. Mitzy Rios de Anda from bit.bio sheds light on the potential of human iPSC-derived astrocytes, discussing how these cells are reshaping our understanding of the brain, neurological diseases and therapeutic development.
Anna MacDonald (AM):
Senior Science Editor
Technology Networks
Anna is a senior science editor at Technology Networks. She holds a first-class honors degree in biological sciences from the University of East Anglia. Before joining Technology Networks she helped organize scientific conferences.
Why are astrocytes so important in CNS research, and what roles do they play in the brain?
Mitzy Rios de Anda is a dedicated scientist with extensive expertise in stem cell research, reprogramming, cancer studies, neurosciences and proteomics. Currently at bit.bio, she leverages her academic knowledge and practical experience to drive forward-thinking research and development initiatives.
Astrocytes are often referred to as the supportive cells of the CNS, but their role goes far beyond just support. They regulate several vital functions in the brain, including maintaining neurotransmitter balance, such as glutamate homeostasis, which prevents neurotoxicity. They also manage inflammatory responses, clear cellular debris and play a crucial role in maintaining the blood-brain barrier.
Their interaction with other CNS cells – neurons, microglia, and endothelial cells – is essential for overall brain health. These functions, particularly in regulating synapse development and supporting neuronal activity, make astrocytes central to maintaining the brain's complex environment. Without them, neuronal function and survival would be compromised.
Senior Science Editor
Technology Networks
Anna is a senior science editor at Technology Networks. She holds a first-class honors degree in biological sciences from the University of East Anglia. Before joining Technology Networks she helped organize scientific conferences.
What challenges have researchers faced in studying astrocytes, and how is this being addressed?
MRDA:
Mitzy Rios de Anda is a dedicated scientist with extensive expertise in stem cell research, reprogramming, cancer studies, neurosciences and proteomics. Currently at bit.bio, she leverages her academic knowledge and practical experience to drive forward-thinking research and development initiatives.
Historically, researchers have struggled to work with
physiologically relevant models of human astrocytes. Traditional methods of
generating astrocytes from iPSCs, such as directed differentiation, are not
only slow and expensive but often produce cells that are heterogeneous and not
fully functional. Many researchers still rely on primary rodent astrocytes,
which, while helpful, don’t replicate the nuances of human biology,
particularly in disease contexts.
At bit.bio, we have addressed these challenges by
developing human
iPSC-derived astrocytes that provide a more consistent and functional model
that is better suited for studying human disease and for drug discovery efforts
– and is quicker and easier to use. Our ability to produce these cells in a
reproducible and scalable manner means that researchers now have a reliable,
human-relevant system to explore astrocyte biology more deeply.
Senior Science Editor
Technology Networks
Anna is a senior science editor at Technology Networks. She holds a first-class honors degree in biological sciences from the University of East Anglia. Before joining Technology Networks she helped organize scientific conferences.
How do iPSC-derived astrocytes change the way diseases like Alzheimer’s are studied?
MRDA:
Mitzy Rios de Anda is a dedicated scientist with extensive expertise in stem cell research, reprogramming, cancer studies, neurosciences and proteomics. Currently at bit.bio, she leverages her academic knowledge and practical experience to drive forward-thinking research and development initiatives.
Astrocytes are increasingly recognized for their role in neurodegenerative diseases. In Alzheimer’s disease, astrocytes fail to clear toxic Aβ plaques, leading to plaque accumulation and further neuronal damage.
With our iPSC-derived astrocytes, researchers can recreate these disease conditions in vitro, allowing them to investigate how astrocytes contribute to disease progression. This also opens up new possibilities for testing pharmaceutical compounds and identifying targets that could restore astrocyte function in neurodegenerative diseases. Essentially, these cells give us a clearer window into disease mechanisms that were previously difficult to model.
Senior Science Editor
Technology Networks
Anna is a senior science editor at Technology Networks. She holds a first-class honors degree in biological sciences from the University of East Anglia. Before joining Technology Networks she helped organize scientific conferences.
What makes bit.bio's approach to generating astrocytes different from traditional methods?
MRDA:
Mitzy Rios de Anda is a dedicated scientist with extensive expertise in stem cell research, reprogramming, cancer studies, neurosciences and proteomics. Currently at bit.bio, she leverages her academic knowledge and practical experience to drive forward-thinking research and development initiatives.
One of the most significant advances is our use of opti-ox technology, which allows us to generate pure populations of astrocytes. Traditional methods often result in mixed cultures containing both glial and neuronal cells, which requires time-consuming purification processes and still leads to heterogeneous populations that aren’t ideal for experiments.
With opti-ox, we can deterministically program human iPSCs into astrocytes, providing researchers with pure, fully functional cells. This ensures consistency across experiments, addressing a major bottleneck in CNS research. The reproducibility and scalability of our cells also mean researchers can perform larger studies without worrying about batch-to-batch variability, which is often a limitation with traditional methods.
Senior Science Editor
Technology Networks
Anna is a senior science editor at Technology Networks. She holds a first-class honors degree in biological sciences from the University of East Anglia. Before joining Technology Networks she helped organize scientific conferences.
How can human iPSC-derived astrocytes accelerate drug discovery?
MRDA:
Mitzy Rios de Anda is a dedicated scientist with extensive expertise in stem cell research, reprogramming, cancer studies, neurosciences and proteomics. Currently at bit.bio, she leverages her academic knowledge and practical experience to drive forward-thinking research and development initiatives.
Drug discovery relies on having reliable models that generate reproducible results and accurately reflect human biology. Our iPSC-derived astrocytes can be cultured in both monoculture and co-culture systems, enabling researchers to study their interactions with other CNS cell types, such as neurons and microglia. This capability is particularly valuable for testing how drugs affect not just individual cells but the entire cellular network within the brain. Since astrocytes are key players in neuroinflammation, neurotransmitter regulation, and synapse support, understanding how they respond to pharmaceutical agents can offer new insights into developing more effective treatments for neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory diseases.
AM:
Senior Science Editor
Technology Networks
Anna is a senior science editor at Technology Networks. She holds a first-class honors degree in biological sciences from the University of East Anglia. Before joining Technology Networks she helped organize scientific conferences.
What is the significance of lot-to-lot consistency in cell models like iPSC-derived astrocytes?
MRDA:
Mitzy Rios de Anda is a dedicated scientist with extensive expertise in stem cell research, reprogramming, cancer studies, neurosciences and proteomics. Currently at bit.bio, she leverages her academic knowledge and practical experience to drive forward-thinking research and development initiatives.
Lot-to-lot consistency is critical for ensuring reproducibility in research, especially in drug discovery and disease modeling. Variability between batches of cells can lead to inconsistent results, making it difficult to draw reliable conclusions from experiments. Our iPSC-derived astrocytes offer consistent performance across multiple experiments and batches, ensuring that researchers can trust their data. This consistency not only speeds up the research process but also reduces the overall cost of experimentation by eliminating the need for frequent revalidation of assays and troubleshooting.
AM:
Senior Science Editor
Technology Networks
Anna is a senior science editor at Technology Networks. She holds a first-class honors degree in biological sciences from the University of East Anglia. Before joining Technology Networks she helped organize scientific conferences.
How can scientists access these iPSC-derived astrocytes and start integrating them into their research?
MRDA:
Mitzy Rios de Anda is a dedicated scientist with extensive expertise in stem cell research, reprogramming, cancer studies, neurosciences and proteomics. Currently at bit.bio, she leverages her academic knowledge and practical experience to drive forward-thinking research and development initiatives.
Our human iPSC-derived astrocytes are available through our early access program, which gives researchers the opportunity to incorporate these advanced cells into their studies. Detailed protocols for both monoculture and co-culture systems are available on our website, and our team is always on hand to provide support or answer any questions.
