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Explosive Blast Loading on Human 3D Aggregate Minibrains

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Abstract

The effects of primary explosive blast on brain tissue still remain mostly unknown. There are few in vitro models that use real explosives to probe the mechanisms of injury at the cellular level. In this work, 3D aggregates of human brain cells or brain microphysiological system were exposed to military explosives at two different pressures (50 and 100 psi). Results indicate that membrane damage and oxidative stress increased with blast pressure, but cell death remained minimal.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Richard Benjamin for his assistance during the blast testing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of the Army, US Army Research Laboratory, Weapons and Materials Research Directorate, RDRL-WMM-G, Building 4600, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, 21005, USA

    Nicole E. Zander & Thuvan Piehler

  2. Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing, Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA

    Helena Hogberg & David Pamies

Authors
  1. Nicole E. Zander
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  2. Thuvan Piehler
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  3. Helena Hogberg
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  4. David Pamies
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nicole E. Zander.

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Zander, N.E., Piehler, T., Hogberg, H. et al. Explosive Blast Loading on Human 3D Aggregate Minibrains. Cell Mol Neurobiol 37, 1331–1334 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10571-017-0463-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10571-017-0463-7

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