In this way, many useless compounds can be discarded before getting to the animal testing phase, greatly reducing the number of animals needed and the cost of drug development. In addition, in vitro methods are better than certain live-animal techniques in helping scientists understand how drugs work. This information helps the scientists design more effective drugs with fewer side effects. Dr. Snyder developed in vitro techniques to study neurotransmitter receptors, which enable nerve cells to communicate with each other and with other parts of the body. These techniques are used by scientists in research labs and pharmaceutical companies throughout the world.
Neurotransmitter receptors are like locks located on the surfaces of the body's cells.
The in vitro approach to drug development allows scientists to determine which potential new drugs bind with which receptors. This way the researchers can find drugs that affect only the kind of receptor involved in a given disease, rather than several kinds of receptors. Such selectivity means more of the drug will go where it is needed and less of it will cause side effects by binding with the wrong receptors. Such knowledge can enable a scientist to mold a chemical into a drug that retains the beneficial effects of the chemical without side effects. Traditionally, a researcher would test a putative anti-epileptic drug by administering it to rats and attempting to induce seizures.