Introduction of a New Thiol-based Fluorescent Indicator to Assess Cellular Health Using Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Derived Neurons

Oxidative stress, a critical factor affecting cell health, has gained prominence in assessing various medical conditions including cancer and neurodegeneration. Given this importance, researchers need a wide range of tools to thoroughly investigate these issues. Glutathione (GSH) is a known oxygen radical scavenging molecule which is used as a biomarker of cellular oxidative stress. SemKur-IM, a novel thiol-detection fluorescent probe was developed to enable visualization of oxidative stress in vitro. This indicator has proven effective at evaluating cellular health using animal and cell models representative of cardiovascular, pulmonary, and neuronal health conditions. This seminar with provide an overview of cellular oxidative stress and the use of SemKur-IM in induced pluripotent stem cell (IPSC) derived cortical glutamatergic neurons. This research demonstrates how this indicator can offer in-depth insights into cellular health, enhance our understanding of various diseases, and assist in discovering and developing new therapeutics.