Cell biology

Cell-based microplate assays advance biological research

Cell-based studies provide information about basic cellular processes. These include cell division, barrier functions, cell energy balance, eukaryotic and bacterial metabolism, control mechanisms, cell death regulation, differentiation or pathology. Cell-based methods are not only used for research: toxicity tests replace animal experiments and identify toxic substances in vitro. In addition, cell cultures have become important production organisms for medicines. For example, they produce insulin or monoclonal antibodies used as cancer therapeutics.

Modern cell biology analyses not only measure at a single time point but monitor biological changes over days in real time. To this end, the measurement chamber of a microplate reader needs controlled temperature and gas conditions. BMG LABTECH´s Atmospheric Control Unit regulates CO₂ to stabilize the pH in carbonate buffered cell cultures. Additionally, O₂ can be set to physiological conditions, which for mammalian cultures is typically below ambient concentrations. BMG LABTECH microplate readers further correct for non-homogenous distribution of a cell layer as they measure several points across the well instead of only reading in the center. With this feature our microplate readers also allow to study cell migration e.g. in scratch wound assays. To avoid biased results due to a undetected mycoplasma contamination, BMG LABTECH readers also offer the possibility of detecting existing contamination.

Setting up a cell biology experiment takes time. Therefore, novel assay solutions measure several parameters at once. The combination of different fluorescent, luminescent and chromogenic assays in one well results in multiple readouts. With a flexible microplate reader, all assays can be measured with only one instrument.