Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40216831›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2025

Cryopreserving 3D cell culture models of Alzheimer's disease in hydrogel microbeads.

Jae Jung Kim, Matthias Hebisch, Sang Su Kwak, Monica Zheng, Shreya Nuli, Jun-Seok Bae, Emma Brand, Rudolph E Tanzi, Daniel Irimia, Doo Yeon Kim

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Jae Jung Kim *Center for Engineering in Medicine and Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard School of Medicine, Shriners Children's Boston, Boston, MA, 02129, USA.
Matthias Hebisch *Genetics and Aging Research Unit, Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA.
Sang Su KwakGenetics and Aging Research Unit, Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA.
Monica ZhengGenetics and Aging Research Unit, Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA.
Shreya NuliGenetics and Aging Research Unit, Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA.
Jun-Seok BaeGenetics and Aging Research Unit, Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA.
Emma BrandGenetics and Aging Research Unit, Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA.
Rudolph E TanziGenetics and Aging Research Unit, Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA. tanzi@helix.mgh.harvard.edu.
Daniel IrimiaCenter for Engineering in Medicine and Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard School of Medicine, Shriners Children's Boston, Boston, MA, 02129, USA. dirimia@mgh.harvard.edu.
Doo Yeon KimGenetics and Aging Research Unit, Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA. dkim@helix.mgh.harvard.edu.

Funding

Neutrophil Decision Making in Confined Environments in Health and DiseaseR01GM092804 · NIGMS · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · PI IRIMIA, DANIEL · 2010 to 2022
$4.3M
A novel human 3D neural cell culture system for the characterization of AD genesRF1AG048080 · NIA · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · PI KIM, DOO YEON, TANZI, RUDOLPH EMILE · 2014 to 2014
$2.1M
ATP-Bio Engineering Research Center 1941543NIA NIH HHS RF1 AG048080NIGMS NIH HHS R01 GM092804NIH HHS 1RF1AG048080-01NIH HHS GM092804
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Long-term preservation of fully differentiated human neurons poses a longstanding challenge in neuroscience research. Numerous cellular disease models have been established using cultured human neuronal cells, including our three-dimensional (3D) human neural cell culture model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the absence of a reliable method for preserving fully differentiated human neural cell cultures for a long time has hindered the sharing and standardization of these models. To address this critical limitation, we focused on cryopreservation, which is the gold standard for long-term preservation, and combined this with three key technological advancements. First, we employed parallelized microfluidic devices for the efficient generation of 3D cell cultures within uniform hydrogel microbeads (~ 220 μm), which facilitate the rapid exchange of media ingredients and cryoprotectants. Second, we implemented a cytophobic microwell system to safeguard neuron-encapsulated microbeads from fusion and aggregation. Third, we developed a novel inducible AD cell model optimized for cryopreservation and AD drug testing. We have successfully maintained encapsulated control and AD neural progenitor cells in microwells during differentiation for 12 days. Notably, fully differentiated human neural cells can be cryopreserved within Matrigel microbeads while retaining intact and mature neuronal processes, exhibiting no signs of damage to neurites following freeze/thaw cycles. Furthermore, we have demonstrated the successful cryopreservation, thawing, and induction of pathogenic Amyloid-β 42 (Aβ42) generation in fully differentiated AD neural progenitor cells. Our study offers a solution for one of the major challenges in neuroscience research, utilizing porous hydrogel microbead structures to facilitate rapid delivery of cryoprotectants and protect complex neuronal structures without undergoing damaging cell dissociation steps. The inducible "3D human microbead model of AD" enhances the speed, efficacy, and reproducibility of AD drug screening.

Indexed as

Alzheimer DiseaseCell Culture Techniques, Three DimensionalCryopreservationHydrogelsMicrospheresNeural Stem CellsAmyloid beta-PeptidesCell Culture TechniquesCell DifferentiationHumansNeuronsAmyloid beta-PeptidesHydrogelsAlzheimer’s diseaseExtracellular matrixHydrogelNeurodegeneration

Identifiers

PMID40216831
PMCPMC11992178

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.