Simoa^® stands for Single Molecule Array. It is is an ultrasensitive immunoassay technology that allows for detection of biomarkers, such as proteins, at very low levels. With Simoa, one can achieve sensitivity that is orders of magnitude higher than standard sandwich-based immunoassay techniques, detecting as little as femtogram (fg/mL) concentrations, while consuming as little as 1 µL of sample. As such, this ultrasensitive detection capability allows for the quantification of biomarkers at concentrations that have previously been difficult or impossible to measure.

Neurofilament Light is a cytoskeletal protein that is highly specific for neurons. While Neurofilament Light is normally present is low levels in body fluids due to slow turnover in neurons, it is released from neurons due to injury or disease, thereby resulting in increased levels in the CSF and/or blood. Neurofilament Light can be measured in fluids, such as plasma, serum, and CSF by sensitive assays, such as Simoa.

It has been estimated that mice have 35-40 µL of CSF, which replenishes rapidly at a rate of 0.32-0.35 µL/min, turning over the total CSF volume 12-14 times per day (Fowler et al., Adv. Drug Deliv. Rev., 165–166: 77-95, 2020; doi: 10.1016/j.addr.2020.02.006).

We collect CSF from the cisterna magna. We can typically obtain ~5-10 µL for each sample collection.

Yes. Our team has developed the ability to collect CSF from mice during the in-life portion of the study. This ability allows us to follow specific biomarkers, such as neurofilament light (NfL), over time or measure different biomarkers (e.g. cytokines, misfolded proteins) in the same mouse.