Microglia (immune cells of the brain), are used as a surrogate biosensor to determine how nanoparticles influence neurotoxicity. We describe a series of experiments designed to assay microglial response to nanoparticles and exposure of hypothalamic neurons to supernatant from activated microglia to determine neurotoxicity.
Duffy, C. M., Ahmed, S., Yuan, C., Mavanji, V., Nixon, J. P., Butterick, T. Microglia as a Surrogate Biosensor to Determine Nanoparticle Neurotoxicity. J. Vis. Exp. (116), e54662, doi:10.3791/54662 (2016).