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Technology Description

Generally synapses are small limiting experiments both which can be performed on them and those experiments to short term experiments conducted on large numbers of synapses rather than individual synapses.

The media supplement of this technology makes it possible to culture a synapse of the central nervous system, the calyx of Held developed with vivo-like morphological and physiological properties. The giant synapse is large enough to allow experiments, which would not otherwise be performed. This offers an ideal model for the identification of new signalling pathways in synapse regulation and development and the identification of novel drug targets for neurological disorders.

Potential Benefits

- Long-term experiments: up to 30 days c.f. 1 day for brain slice culture
- Efficient in-vitro drug screening
- Access to a single synapse: volume is 2,000 greater than conventional synapses

Limitations

N.A.

Suggested Applications

Model for identification of new neural signalling pathways
Identification of novel neural drug targets

Related materials
Status
National Phase for several jursidictions
Availability
Licensing
Inventor(s)
Cellular and Molecular Synaptic Function Unit

Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology

Discover the institution >>
The Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology is an interdisciplinary graduate school offering a 5-year PhD program in Science. Over half of the faculty and students are recruited from outside Japan, and all education and research is conducted entirely in English. Website:
The technological areas
Life sciences, Medicine

Technology Readiness Level 4

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