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In research, pharmacologic drug-screening and medical diagnostics, the trend towards the utilization of functional assays using living cells is persisting. Research groups working with living cells are confronted with the problem, that common endpoint measurement methods are not able to map dynamic changes. With consideration of time as a further dimension, the dynamic and networked molecular processes of cells in culture can be monitored. These processes can be investigated by measuring several extracellular parameters. This paper describes a high-content system that provides real-time monitoring data of cell parameters (metabolic and morphological alterations), e.g., upon treatment with drug compounds. Accessible are acidification rates, the oxygen consumption and changes in adhesion forces within 24 cell cultures in parallel. Addressing the rising interest in biomedical and pharmacological high-content screening assays, a concept has been developed, which integrates multi-parametric sensor readout, automated imaging and probe handling into a single embedded platform. A life-maintenance system keeps important environmental parameters (gas, humidity, sterility, temperature) constant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flexible and modular setup of an intelligent mobile lab (IMOLA) that can be equipped with biosensor chips for monitoring of cellular metabolism is described. An application as an environmental monitoring system is described by recording the extracelluar acidification and cellular respiration of Chlorella kessleri after exposure to the herbicide metamitron. The adaptability of the IMOLA system to future developments in the field of biosensors or cellular metabolism analysis is emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]