Rapid quantification of live cell receptors using bioluminescence in a flow-based microfluidic device
Ramesh Ramji1, Cheong Fook Cheong, Hiroaki Hirata
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, 9 Engineering Drive 1, Block EA, #03-12, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117575.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|October 23, 2014
Summary
A new method uses bioluminescence, microfluidics, and lensfree optics to quantify cell surface receptors. This technique is faster, more sensitive, and ideal for high-throughput screening in biological research.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Biophysics
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Cell surface receptors are crucial for cell signaling, behavior, and fate.
- Existing methods for receptor quantification are often laborious, time-consuming, or compromise cell integrity.
- There is a need for sensitive, high-throughput methods to accurately measure cell surface receptors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel, integrated method for quantifying cell surface receptors.
- To overcome limitations of current quantification techniques, such as labor intensity and cell damage.
- To provide a sensitive and efficient platform for receptor number determination.
Main Methods:
- Integration of highly sensitive bioluminescence, high-precision microfluidics, and lensfree optics.
- Development of a non-destructive assay for cell surface receptor quantification.
- Application of the method to quantify beta(1) adrenergic receptors on H9c2 cardiomyocytes.
Main Results:
- The developed method is safe, less laborious, and faster than conventional radiolabelling and near-field scanning methods.
- The assay demonstrates higher sensitivity compared to fluorescence-based assays.
- Quantification of beta(1) adrenergic receptors yielded 3.12 × 10^5 to 9.36 × 10^5 receptors/cell, comparable to existing techniques.
Conclusions:
- The novel integrated method offers a sensitive, rapid, and high-throughput approach for cell surface receptor quantification.
- This platform is suitable for ligand/drug binding studies and receptor characterization in pharmaceutical and biological research.
- The technique preserves cell native form, enabling accurate analysis of cellular behavior and state.
