Our innovative cell-based assays serve as indispensable tools for biological and pharmaceutical research. From apoptosis and proliferation to metabolism and signal transduction, these assays streamline data collection and enhance experimental accuracy. We offer two types of cell-based assays: genetically modified assays and chemical-based assays. Genetically modified assays utilize custom-engineered cells that generate measurable outputs for enhanced data precision. Chemical-based assays leverage high-sensitivity dyes, antibodies, or proteins to monitor cellular changes and pathway dynamics.
Leveraging our team’s 20+ years of expertise, our metabolism assays are designed for use with live cells, lysates, and biofluids. They integrate seamlessly into workflows, offering rapid, plate-reader-compatible readouts that facilitate metabolic analysis across various disease areas.
Our cell viability assays, essential for researchers studying drug discovery, toxicology, and disease modeling, provide critical insights into cellular health, ensuring robust and reproducible results. Whether screening drug candidates or evaluating cellular responses, these solutions deliver actionable data. Our comprehensive assay portfolio includes metabolic assays, cytotoxicity assays, live/dead cell assays, and proliferation and cell cycle assays.
Metabolic assays such as MTT, MTS, XTT, WST-1, and resazurin evaluate energy production and mitochondrial function. ATP luminescence assays detect ATP as a viability marker, ideal for high-throughput applications. Cytotoxicity assays measure membrane integrity using LDH release and dye exclusion methods such as DRAQ7® and propidium iodide. Enzyme leakage assays, including LDH and adenylate kinase (AK) assays, provide reliable viability assessments.
Live/dead cell assays employ membrane-impermeable dyes and amine-reactive dyes to distinguish viable cells. Fluorescent-based assays ensure precise viability analysis, with careful controls required to minimize background fluorescence. Proliferation assays track cell division using EdU, BrdU, CFSE, and Ki67 markers. Clonogenic assays assess long-term survival, while senescence assays detect SA-beta-gal accumulation in aging cells.
Selecting the right assay depends on sensitivity, throughput, and experimental compatibility. Advanced techniques such as mitochondrial potential dyes, esterase cleavage assays, and glycolysis assays further enhance assay performance. Empower your research with our state-of-the-art cell-based bioassays, designed to deliver accuracy, efficiency, and meaningful biological insights.
FEATURES
Key features
- Effortless operation: Each kit comes with a straightforward, step-by-step guide to ensure ease of use.
- Reliable performance: Our kits are produced under rigorous quality control standards to guarantee consistency in results and dependable long-term availability.
- Practical design: Optimized for use with existing laboratory tools, such as plate readers, our assays are compatible with various sample types.
- Versatility: We offer a wide selection of assays and reagents, addressing critical analytes and targets in major metabolic pathways.
APPLICATIONS
Applications
- In vitro and in vivo research: Evaluate drug efficacy, cytotoxicity, and cellular mechanisms to advance understanding of disease biology.
- Oncology research: Monitor cancer cell behavior and therapeutic responses to drive progress in cancer treatment.
- Neuroscience research: Analyze metabolic and cellular changes to gain insights into neurodegenerative diseases and brain function.
- Immunology & infectious diseases research: Investigate immune cell dynamics and interactions during host-pathogen responses.
- Toxicology studies: Identify cellular impacts of toxic substances to ensure safety and predict adverse effects.
FAQs
What are cell-based functional assays, and how are they used in research?
Cell-based functional assays are experimental techniques used to analyze cellular processes like apoptosis, proliferation, metabolism, and pathway activity. They allow researchers to study cellular behavior in a physiological context, making them invaluable for understanding disease mechanisms, testing drugs, and investigating cell function.
What are the key advantages of using cell-based assays over biochemical assays?
Cell-based assays provide a more holistic view by capturing the interplay of cellular components within live cells, unlike biochemical assays, which focus on isolated molecules. They better mimic physiological conditions, making them more predictive of real-world biological responses.
How do cell-based assays contribute to drug discovery and development?
Cell-based assays enable the evaluation of a drug’s effects on cellular processes, such as cell viability, toxicity, and pathway modulation. They help identify promising compounds and assess their mechanisms of action, expediting the drug discovery process.
How can cell viability and cytotoxicity be measured in cell-based assays?
Cell viability is assessed through metabolic activity assays (eg, MTT, resazurin), which detect live cell function, and ATP assays, which quantify energy levels. Cytotoxicity is measured using methods like LDH release or membrane-impermeable dyes, which indicate cell membrane damage or death.
What is the difference between ELISA and cell-based assays?
ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) measures specific proteins, antibodies, or antigens in a sample, typically using purified biomolecules outside of a cellular context. In contrast, cell-based assays involve live cells to assess whole-cell responses, enabling the study of dynamic cellular processes.
What is the role of cell-based assay development in drug discovery?
Cell-based assay development is crucial in drug discovery as it allows researchers to create tailored assays that accurately model biological processes and cellular responses. These assays enable the evaluation of a compound’s efficacy, toxicity, and mechanism of action in a controlled, reproducible manner.
What are high-throughput cell-based assays, and why are they important?
High-throughput cell-based assays are advanced techniques used to evaluate cellular responses on a large scale by testing thousands of compounds simultaneously. They are essential for accelerating drug discovery, as they enable rapid, efficient screening with high precision, saving both time and resources in identifying promising drug candidates.