Abstract
Due to the international trend towards the abolition of animal testing and the enactment of the FDA Modernization Act 2.0, there is a growing expectation for in vitro testing methods. One of these methods is the microelectrode array (MEA) measurement, which can non-invasively measure in vitro neural activity and is used as one of the toxicity evaluation methods for compounds. The OECD has created guidance on this evaluation method. In this presentation, I will introduce the current state of compound toxicity evaluation and action mechanism prediction using MEA in both central and peripheral nerves. Specifically, we will present a toxicity evaluation method that can be extrapolated to in vivo situations from waveform data obtained from human iPS cell-derived central nerves, sensory neurons, and brain organoids, as well as a mechanism prediction method using deep learning. Additionally, we will introduce our efforts to predict the mechanism of action through detailed analysis at the single-cell level of big data obtained by "field potential imaging" using a 236,880-electrode CMOS-MEA.
