New Technologies for More Powerful Cell Analyses

Changes in morphology, interactions with other cells and the environment, complex signalling pathways, and the localisation of events are just some of what researchers explore in the quest to identify targets for drug development efforts.  Our knowledge of the inner workings of cells and their interactions is advancing rapidly, supported by technologies that simplify the acquisition of data and deliver more sophisticated data on cell populations and individual cells.
These advances derived from a range of innovations:  improvements on decades-old manual techniques, miniaturised technology, multiplexed analyses, and the integration of historically ‘stand-alone’ technologies to deliver greater insights.
In this article we explore new approaches to monitoring cell health, the cell cycle, and apoptosis, powerful multiplexed assays that provide a more holistic view of the cell, and immune function assays based on a unique combination of flow cytometry and imaging.