Patent ID: 7316913

Claim:
A method investigating intercellular communication and intercellular transport, comprising: singularizing mammalian cells; monitoring the singularized mammalian cells for the formation of de novo membrane tubes which contain F-actin and myosin, have a diameter of 50 to 400 nm, and are up to 50 micrometers long, wherein said membrane tubes span between the singularized mammalian cells; then adding to or expressing in a first population of said cells one or more substances, wherein the substance is endocytosed by the cells of the first population or expressed constitutively or transiently by the cells of the first population within a first time period; washing said first population of cells; mixing the first number of cells with a second population of cells, so that within a second time period intercellular membrane tubes are formed between the cells of the first and second populations, and determining the number of cells of the second population of cells which contain the one or more endocytosed or expressed substances.