Patent ID: 8916357
Filing Date: 2014-12-23
Classification: C12Q,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method of identifying a factor capable of interacting with a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) comprising: a) providing a device capable of measuring cell-substrate impedance, wherein said device comprises at least two wells, further wherein said device is operably connected to an impedance analyzer; b) adding test cells to at least two wells, wherein said test cells are cells that express a RTK; c) measuring first impedances of said at least two wells immediately preceding step d) and optionally determining first cell indices from said first impedances; d) adding a compound suspected of being a factor capable of interacting with a RTK to at least one well containing said test cells to form at least one compound well and adding a vehicle control to at least another well containing test cells to form at least one control well; e) measuring second impedances of said at least one compound well and of said at least one control well after step d) and optionally determining second cell indices from said second impedance; f) determining a change in the impedance or cell index for said at least one compound well by comparing said second impedance or said second cell index of said at least one compound well to said first impedance or said first cell index of said at least one compound well, and determining a change in the impedance or cell index for said at least one control well by comparing said second impedance or said second cell index of said at least one control well to said first impedance or said first cell index of the said at least one control well; g) comparing said changes in impedances or in cell indices between said at least one compound well and said at least one control well; and h) identifying said compound is a factor that interacts with said RTK and affects cell morphology if said comparison demonstrates a more than 10% difference between said change in impedance or cell index for said at least one compound well and said change in impedance or cell index for said at least one control well.