Patent ID: 6395506
Filing Date: 2002-05-28
Classification: C12Q,Y02A

Abstract:
A method for determining the effects of at least one drug, toxin or chemical on respiring mammalian or insect cells comprising:(i) preparing a liquid media broth of said mammalian or insect cells; (ii) contacting said broth with a sensor composition which comprises a luminescent compound that exhibits a change in luminescent property, when irradiated with light containing wavelengths which cause said compound to luminesce, upon exposure to oxygen, wherein the presence of the sensor composition is non-destructive to the mammalian or insect cells; (iii) admixing with said broth a quantity of said drug, toxin or chemical; (iv) irradiating said sensor composition with light containing wavelengths which cause said luminescent compound to luminesce; (v) measuring or visually observing the change in luminescent property from said luminescent compound while irradiating said sensor compound with said light; and (vi) comparing said measurement to that of a control wherein said control is selected from the group consisting of: a reagent control not in contact with respiring mammalian or insect cells or the drug, toxin or chemical; a reagent control in contact with respiring mammalian or insect cells but not in contact with the drug, toxin or chemical and a calculated threshold, wherein a change in luminescent property relative to the control is indicative of cytotoxicity of the drug, toxin or chemical to the mammalian or insect cells; and (vii) in the even that no such change is measured or observed, repeat steps (iv), (v) and (vi), as needed, to determine the effects of the drug, toxin or chemical on the respiring mammalian or insect cells.