General Electric Company

Applied Biophysics, Inc.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

National Foundation for Cancer Research

Charles R Keese

Ivar Giaever

William J Ward, Iii

Daniel A Abramowicz

Method and apparatus for processing a cell culture are provided. The method includes establishing a cell culture within a holding device having one or more wells, each well holding a cell culture, and including a well substrate with at least one electrode in contact with the cell culture; periodically applying at least one electrical pulse to the at least one electrode to prevent cells from attaching to and achieving confluence over the at least one electrode while allowing cells to attach to and achieve confluence over other portions of the well substrate; and discontinuing the periodically applying of the at least one electrical pulse to the at least one electrode after cells have achieved confluence over the other portions of the well substrate, and thereafter, monitoring the cell culture to monitor migration of cells over the electrode(s) from the other portions of the well substrate.

Apparatus for facilitating evaluating migration of cells in vitro

Method and apparatus for facilitating evaluating migration of cells in vitro

The present invention provides methods for the assessment of the metastatic potential of cells by measuring the effect of the cells on the impedance of an electrode. Accordingly, the present invention similarly provides methods for establishing indicators of metastatic potential based on a cell's effect on impedance. Such methods may be employed in vitro or in vivo. In some embodiments, the electrode is coated with endothelial or epithelial cells.

Real-time impedance assay to follow the invasive activities of metastatic cells in culture

A method and system for electrically wounding and/or monitoring cell activity in vitro. The invention comprises methods and systems for wounding and/or monitoring cells that place a cell culture on a well that has an exposed electrode. The cell culture can then be wounded and/or monitored using the electrode.

Electrical wounding assay for cells in vitro

An apparatus and method for monitoring cell-substrate impedance comprises upper and lower substrates each containing strips of metal foil which cross to form well areas. Holes in the upper substrate expose an insulation layer between the upper and lower substrates. Smaller holes in the insulation layer expose the conductive material of the lower substrate. Cylindrical well walls are positioned around each of the holes in the upper substrate and define a cell medium containing well which is exposed to an annular area of conductive foil on the upper substrate, and a small area of conducive foil on the lower substrate. The areas of foil form large and small electrodes which are positioned in an array of wells which can be used to monitor the impedance of various cell cultures under various conditions. A switching device applies currents to the well electrodes and a monitoring device measures the impedance between the electrodes in each well. In this way, cell spreading and motility can be measured.

Cell substrate electrical impedance sensor with multiple electrode array

Test method and apparatus for determining the presence of, the concentration of, or the absence of, immunologically-active substances in liquid media by measuring any change of electrical impedance of an electrode due to the presence of, or the absence of, the reaction of a product of enzyme linked immunologically-active substance and a proper enzyme substrate.

Electrical detection of the immune reaction

Enzyme-catalyzed exchange reactions with diphenyl carbonate compounds are disclosed. Nucleophiles participating in these reactions include water and a wide range of hydroxy-containing compounds. Polycarbonate products can be prepared according to this invention by the use of various bisphenols in a transesterification reaction with the diphenyl carbonate compound.

Enzyme-catalyzed reactions involving diphenyl carbonate

An emulsion (in which an aqueous medium contains small liquid droplets coated with a protein that will interact specifically with a select protein) is mixed with a liquid sample, time is allowed for interaction to occur and the mixture is then exposed to a tagged antibody specific to the select protein. After an appropriate hold time the emulsion is broken and the protein that previously covered the disperse droplets becomes concentrated at the surface. The surface is checked for the presence of the tagged antibodies to establish the presence of absence of the select protein.

Diagnostic method of determining the presence or absence of select

Small liquid droplets, coated with protein, the protein coating containing molecules of protein that will interact specifically with a select protein, are contacted with a liquid sample to determine the presence or absence of the select protein therein depending upon whether the droplets agglutinate.

Agglutinating immunoassay using protein-coated liquid droplets

A diagnostic device is described employing a solid, rigid diagnostic substrate (having as a part thereof an exposed layer of first immunologically reactive biological particles) in combination with means spaced therefrom for containing a solution of second immunologically reactive biological particles specific to the first particles. Preferably these elements are arranged with the layer of first immunologically reactive biological particles on a glass slide having a metallized surface and facing the containing means with spacing therebetween. This spacing defines a wedge-shaped volume for containing test fluid. With a test fluid in place, after allowing diffusion to occur for a predetermined period of time, the extent of formation of a layer of the second particles (i.e., a second layer) on the first layer is determined. If such a second layer develops, this determination can be related to the concentration of first particles in the test fluid. Presence of the second layer is visible with good contrast to the unaided eye.

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Schoharie, NY, United States of America

Charles R Keese