Authors: Lee CY, Hyun S-A, Ko MY, Kim HR, Rho J, Kim KK, Kim W-Y, Ka M.
Cerebral Cortex, 2021
Axion’s bioelectronic assays provide new insights into neurodevelopmental pathophysiology related to BPA exposure during gestation
Research has shown that exposure to the ubiquitous manufacturing chemical bisphenol A (BPA) during gestation is associated with childhood neurobehavioral conditions such as depression, anxiety, intellectual and social disability, and autism spectrum disorder, but this relationship is not fully understood. In this study, researchers used a multiplatform approach to help better understand neural progenitors during cortical development in mice exposed to BPA. Previous research has shown that neural progenitor cells play a critical role in normal neural development.
To determine if BPA exposure alters neuronal activity, scientists used Axion’s Maestro multielectrode array (MEA) platform and AxIS software on cultured mouse cortical neurons and found decreased burst frequency and duration and reduced weighted mean firing rate in a dose-dependent manner—findings that suggest a harmful effect of maternal BPA exposure on offspring neurons. Taken together with other results from the study, the scientists provide evidence that BPA exposure leads to abnormal cortical architecture and function and suggest that the alteration may be due to increased autophagy.
