Protocol for automated quantification of neuronal cells using the Agilent BioTek Cytation system and Gen5 neurite outgrowth module.

Drugs or pathological proteins can influence neuronal plasticity. Here, we provide a protocol to quantify neurite outgrowth parameters in differentiated SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells using the Agilent BioTek Gen5 neurite outgrowth module. The protocol includes steps for plating cells, inducing differentiation, performing immunostaining, collecting images automatically, and analyzing neurite morphology. This assay enables the evaluation of neuronal plasticity and assesses the effects of drugs or pathological proteins. It can be adapted to other neuronal models and scaled for high-throughput screening.