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Flow cytometry has experienced a significant expansion in recent years among techniques that are able to characterize cells from heterogeneous populations based on discrete properties. A phosphor-specific flow cytometry platform enables researchers to perform complex biochemistry at the single-cell level in primary cell populations. Insights on flow cytometry's applications are also given.

Cell-mediated cytotoxicity plays an important role in immune defense, as cytotoxic cells can identify and kill malignantly transformed cells. It was reported that real-time monitoring of target cell status using electrical impedance measurements is being introduced as a nonradioactive method for assessing cellular cytotoxicity and cell adhesion in vitro.

An overview of methods used for assessing and quantifying cellular adhesion and spreading on an extracellular matrix (ECM)-coated surface is presented. The most common technique involves applying the cells to surfaces coated with proper ECM components. Cells may also be labeled with a dye such as crystal violet.

Cambridge Healthtech Institute (CHI) 2009 meeting held in Boston was focused on high-content screening (HCS) and the technology to do it more efficiently and to create quantitative and multiparametric data. Enhanced screening systems, image analysis and data-management strategies that achieve thousands of daily HCS runs and screening wells are described.

It is believed that flow cytometry is ideal for monitoring cell surface and intracellular events mediated by target-binding protein and cell-based drugs. Currently, one of the issues facing flow cytometry in drug discovery and development is the lack of clearly defined regulatory guidance. The need for controls as a means to help standardize methods is also discussed.

It is believed that cell-to-cell fluctuations within apparently homogeneous populations are more significant than previously envisioned. Because of this, image analysis at the single-cell level needs to gain momentum in order to understand different cellular processes. Information about computational multiplexing is also presented.

Biotechnology researchers have often included the measurement of cell viability in their assay design schema. Flow cytometry is commonly used in cell viability measurement since it can be used less laboriously and more precisely than traditional methods. Other ways to measure cell viability are also discussed.

Trends show that cell cultivation is one of the most common techniques used in modern life science and medical research. Much of the knowledge about cell biology has been generated from two-dimensional cell culture models, and these models are used to shed light on the basic principles of life at the cellular level.

Cell-based assays are considered to be useful tools in investigating in vitro responses to a variety of target compounds and cell-signaling molecules. An automated triplex cell-based assay application for simultaneously measuring cell viability, cytotoxicity, and apoptosis, is also introduced.

Measuring cellular bioenergetics is tool in understanding abnormal mitochondrial function, which is traditionally done through Clark-type electrode probes, ATP assays and Alamar Blue assays. Seahorse Bioscience developed the XF24 Extracellular Flux Analyzer, a label-free assay system. Its key features are discussed.