Automated Monitoring of Chemotactic Cell Movement

DESCRIPTION ( provided by applicant): The ECIS/taxis technology can detect cells that move to a small electrode through an agarose matrix by the resistance that they impart to an electrical circuit as they cover parts of the small electrode. This system is amenable to rapid throughput analysis of cell behavior in the presence of chemokines and other agents that motivate cell movement. This technology has important advantages as an alternative to traditional measures of cell movement. First, it enables the evaluation of cell responses to stimuli without the preestablishment of a specific endpoint. Second, the ECIS/taxis environment more closely reflects the natural biological environment. Third, the data can be quantitatively assessed according to changes in the resistance of the circuit. Our result in the Phase I of this project clearly demonstrate that this technology can be used to measure the response of cells to chemotactic factors and effects of drugs on the chemotactic response. In Phase II of this project, we will develop the protocols that can be used to evaluate the chemotactic and chemokinetic responses of mammalian leukocytes, and the methods of evaluation of prototype antagonists of chemokinesis. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: The ECIS/taxis technology will be immediately useful in the search for anti-chemotactic agent (anti-inflammatory agents), chemotactic agents (new chemokines), agonists of known chemokines (pro-inflammatory agents), and stimulators of motility (pro-inflammatory agents).