Characterization of iPSC-Derived Human Microglial Activation Using Automated, Multiplex Capillary Western Blot Analysis

R. Cho¹, J. Hirschfeld¹, P. Joshi³, F. Ramirez³, C. Heger³, M. Curtis², S.Schachtele², C. B. Carlson².
¹ Cell Signaling Technology, Inc., ² FUJIFILM Cellular Dynamics, ³ Bio-Techne.

Microglia, the brain's resident immune cells, play a critical role in mediating inflammatory responses within the central nervous system (CNS). They also contribute to recognizing and eliminating foreign invaders, as well as repairing damaged CNS tissue after injury. 

TREM2, a receptor protein expressed on the microglia membranes, has emerged as a promising therapeutic target for Alzheimer’s disease. However, studying the function of TREM2 and its downstream signaling pathways using human-relevant in vitro models has historically been challenging. By differentiating induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into specialized microglial cells, it is now possible to investigate these essential signaling pathways in detail. 

This study used iPSC-derived microglia to investigate mechanisms of TREM2 signaling through high-throughput, multiplexed capillary western analysis with Simple Western™ Technology and antibodies rigorously validated for the platform.  

Download this cell signaling poster to explore: 

• The mechanisms of TREM2 signaling using Simple Western high-throughput capillary Western analysis 
• Comparative analyses of iPSC-derived microglia from healthy individuals and Alzheimer’s disease-relevant models 
• Alterations in signaling pathways in activated microglia or TREM2-mutant cells, including changes in phosphorylation states and protein expression  

This poster was presented at the Society for Neuroscience (SfN) Neuroscience 2024 meeting in October 2024, in collaboration with Cell Signaling Technology.