Applications and limitations of the neurosphere assay

Neurospheres are the general propagating form of neural stem cells cultured in vitro.The neurosphere assay has not only become an effective tool for studying the characteristics of neural stem cells and a model system for neural development,but also has been used as a supplier of therapeutic molecules in the treatment of neurological disorders.However,increasing evidence indicates that NSA has its own limitations such as heterogeneity and fusion of the neurospheres.This review will discuss several applications and shortcomings of the assay.