Thanks to our collaboration with CellSine, we are one step closer to our quality control in vitro potency assay for a therapy for cardiovascular disease.

The goal of the overall study was to construct a cellular activity assay for an angiogenic growth factor. Using electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), the CellSine I-series was able to detect RTK receptor activation. In subsequent studies CellSine investigated the analytical sensitivity of EIS, i.e. the assay’s ability to detect the lowest concentration that can be accurately measured by EIS. The observed EC50 values were low, indicating that this cell-based impedance assay was sensitive and able to detect low physiological relevant concentrations of the growth factor. It may therefore have potential as an in vitro potency assay for quality control of different growth factor batches.

With the CellSine technology we could monitor a plethora of cellular behaviour: cell adhesion, cell proliferation, cell death, cell morphology changes, receptor activation, and calcification processes. All these measurements will further accelerate our future nutraceutical screening.

CellSine demonstrated that several cellular processes can be monitored on the I-series. Growth and cell adhesion impedance data were obtained from primary patient-derived cells. Moreover, differences in cell morphology of patient-derived cells were detected as well. These different cellular growth dynamics create the opportunity to study effects of personalized medicine and this can in turn be helpful to select an appropriate drug during treatment. In addition, a deeper understanding into cell calcification processes were obtained as well. In sum, these assays will help us to speed-up our future nutraceutical screening assays.