SpectraMax M Series Multi-Mode Microplate Readers

Absorbance

Learn all about absorbance detection – how it works, how it’s measured, and how it can be used to calculate concentration. We also provide information on common absorbance applications and assays including ELISAs, nucleic acid and protein quantitation, and microbial growth.

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Cell Health

Cell viability refers to the number of healthy cells in a population and can be evaluated using assays that measure enzyme activity, cell membrane integrity, ATP production, and other indicators. These methods can employ luminescent, fluorescent, or colorimetric readouts as indicators of general cell viability or even specific cellular pathways. Cytotoxicity and cell viability assays are often used to assess a drug or other treatment’s effect, and are valuable tools in the search for new therapeutics, as well as advancing our understanding of how normal cells function.

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Cell Viability

Cell viability can be assessed by examining parameters such as cell membrane integrity or the activity of cellular enzymes. On a microplate readers, these parameters can be detected using fluorescent reagents. For example, a red cell-impermeant, DNA-binding dye only stains dead or dying cells whose membranes are compromised, while a green live-cell dye only fluoresces when metabolic enzymes are active.

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Cellular Signaling

Cellular signaling allows cells to respond to their environment as well as to communicate with other cells. Proteins located on the cell surface can receive signals from the surroundings and transmit information into the cell via a series of protein interactions and biochemical reactions that comprise a signaling pathway. Multicellular organisms rely upon an extensive array of signaling pathways to coordinate the proper growth, regulation, and functioning of cells and tissues. If signaling between or within cells is dysregulated, inappropriate cellular responses may lead to cancer and other diseases.

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ELISA

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) are used to measure the amount of a specific protein, using a microplate format, and results are most often detected via absorbance in the visible wavelength range. Chemiluminescent and fluorescent ELISA formats offer enhanced sensitivity for accurate quantitation of less abundant analytes.

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Fluorescence

Learn all about fluorescence detection – what it is, how it works, and the instruments used to measure the fluorescence of a sample. We also cover many fluorescence-based assays including cell viability, GPCR activity, and fluorescent nucleic acid quantification.

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Fluorescence Polarization (FP)

Fluorescence polarization (FP) is a technique that is widely used to monitor binding events in solution. It can be used to assess biomolecular interactions, including protein-antibody binding and DNA hybridization, as well as enzyme activity, and it has been adapted to basic research as well as high-throughput screening.

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Fluorescent Protein Detection

Fluorescent proteins have become enormously popular as tools for monitoring biological events in vivo. In addition to green fluorescent protein (GFP) from the jellyfish Aequorea victoria, there are now numerous others available from other species of jellyfish and reef coral. These proteins can be expressed in a diverse range of cells and organisms, where they are used to track many cellular processes, including protein synthesis and translocation, gene induction, and cell lineage.

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Luminescence

Learn about luminescence detection – what it is, how it works, and the advantages of luminescence over other detection modes. We’ll cover key luminescence-based assays including dual-luciferase reporter gene, chemiluminescent ELISA, cytotoxicity, and BRET.

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Microbiology and Contaminant

Microbes, including bacteria, have been estimated to make up about 15 percent of the earth’s biomass, and microbes in the human body outnumber human cells by 10 to 1. These microorganisms provide great benefit to us and are also vital to many fields of research from medicine to alternative energy production. On the other hand, monitoring for microbes and the toxic substances they produce is necessary to ensure the safety of pharmaceutical products. Scientists whose research relies on mammalian cells must carefully monitor these cultures for unwanted microbial contaminants to ensure that their experimental results are reliable.

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Nucleic Acid (DNA/RNA) Quantitation and Analysis

Nucleic acids are large biomolecules common to all known life forms. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) consists of a double strand of pairs of nucleotides, while ribonucleic acid (RNA) is typically a single strand. In DNA, the nucleotides are adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine, while RNA contains uracil instead of thymine. DNA makes up the genetic material of all organisms, encoding the information cells need to synthesize proteins.

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Protein Detection, Quantitation and Analysis

Protein detection, quantitation, and analysis are central to the investigation of a wide variety of biological processes. Measuring the concentration of protein is necessary to processes ranging from protein purification and labeling to sample preparation for electrophoresis. Protein can be quantitated directly via absorbance at 280 nm, or indirectly using colorimetric (BCA, Bradford, etc.) or fluorometric methods offering advantages such as greater sensitivity. To identify and measure a specific protein within a complex sample, for example, serum or cell lysate, an ELISA may be used.

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SNP genotyping

Genotyping is a process for analyzing genetic differences among individuals by examining their DNA sequences. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are one of the most common types of genetic variation, consisting of a single nucleotide mutation at a specific locus. SNP genotyping has proven very useful in identifying disease-related mutations in various species, and as a result many techniques for SNP detection have been developed.

• Detect SNPs with KASP genotyping technology on SpectraMax microplate readers

TRF, TR-FRET & HTRF

Learn all about time-resolved fluorescence – TRF and TR-FRET including HTRF assays. We’ll provide applications resources to aid in your research, including kinase assays, cellular signaling pathways, protein-protein interactions, cell cytotoxicity, and more.

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