| Non-Invasive Assessment of Cell Growth, Confluence and Compound-induced Inhibition on Unlabelled Primary Human Cell Cultures |
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Presentation: 5B03 Session: Imaging and High Content Screening: Valuable Tools Equally Embraced by Academia & Drug Screeners - Part 2Kris Ver Donck, Peter Van Osta, Luc Bols, Marc Moeremans, Leen Geuens, Bieke Govaerts, and Johan Geysen, MAIA SCIENTIFIC Presenting Author: Kris Ver Donck, MAIA SCIENTIFIC - Belgium Using fluorescent techniques, High Information Content Screening (HICS) has been developed to automate the quantification of complex biological phenomena inside cells, like protein activity in signaling pathways. With the aid of fluorescent protein constructs, HICS based compound screens have been developed and used. However, the need for generic assays to read additional endpoints for the drug development decision chain remains eminent. Preferentially such assays can be combined in the functional screening protocol. We have applied automated brightfield imaging to unlabeled, living cultures of skin-derived primary epidermal keratinocytes using the MIAS-2 microscopy reader. This rapid non-invasive cellcount and confluence quantification can be used to quantify the modulating effect of drug-like compounds on cell growth and cell death. The generic assay format allows for assessment of stimulating or ADME-TOX in combination with a wide variety of cell based screens. The non-invasive methodology allows to efficiently add these additional endpoints into existing screening protocols. |