The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 10, 1982
Filed:
Apr. 06, 1979
Howard M Shapiro, West Newton, MA (US);
Other;
Abstract
Disclosed is a method ofbioassay based on the detection of changes in the membrane potential of individual cells. A cell suspension is incubated with a solution of a substance capable of affecting the physiology of at least a subpopulation of cells in the suspension. During or after the incubation, a measurement representative of the membrane potential of individual cells is made. Comparison of these measurements with reference measurements provides information concerning: (1) the viability of the cells or a subgroup thereof after exposure to toxic substances; (2) the presence and concentration of factors or ligands in the solution which bind specifically to cell membrane receptors; (3) the presence of cells in the suspension sensitive to factors known to be present in the solution; (4) the cumulative effect of plural factors in the solution on the cells or a subpopulation thereof; and (5) comparisons among the effects on the cells of plural, chemically distinct factors. The preferred method of measuring membrane potential involves incubating the cells with a membrane-permeant, fluorescent, ionic dye which becomes distributed on opposite sides of the cell membrane as a function of membrane potential, and then assaying intracellular dye concentration by photometric measurements in a flow cytometer.