Fibrosis

Selvita offers assays on primary cells and lung tissue focusing on myofibroblast activation, extracellular matrix production, tissue remodelling and macrophage polarisation.

The in vitro assays for evaluation of prospective anti-fibrotic drugs include:

• Fibroblast to myofibroblast differentiation assay
• Epithelial to mesenchymal transition assay
• Proliferation and viability of primary human fibroblast and epithelial cells
• M1 and M2 polarisation of monocytes/macrophages

We also offer ex vivo assays in tissue explants and precision-cut slices e.g.:

• Lung tissue from mice with bleomycin-induced fibrosis
• Human lung tissue treated with different pro-fibrotic factors

Assay read-outs:

• Gene expression (qPCR)
• Protein expression (high content imaging, western analysis, ELISA, MSD, Luminex, flow cytometry)
• Cell proliferation, metabolic activity, apoptosis, membrane integrity

In vivo models of fibrosis

Bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis (mice)

Read-outs:

• Lung weight
• Histopathological analysis
• Ashcroft score
• Collagen content by quantitative digital image analysis
• aSMA by quantitative digital image analysis
• IHC/IF/ISH
• Digital image analysis
• Lung function measurements (FEV, FVC)
• Total and differential cell counts in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid
• Gene expression
• Hydroxyproline concentration in lung tissue homogenates
• LPA species in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid

CCl4-induced liver fibrosis (mice)

Read-outs:

• Collagen deposition by quantitative digital image analysis
• Gene expression

CDHFD-induced NASH and liver fibrosis (mice)

Read-outs:

• NAS-score
• Collagen deposition/aSMA/macrophage accumulation by quantitative digital image analysis
• IHC/IF/ISH
• Digital image analysis
• Gene expression
• Liver enzymes

Unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) model of renal fibrosis (mice)

Read-outs:

• Gene expression in kidneys

Folic acid-induced renal fibrosis (mice)

Read-outs:

• Collagen deposition by quantitative digital image analysis

For more information about our fibrosis models please contact us.