Real-time impedance assay to follow the invasive activities of metastatic cells in culture
First Claim
1. A method of assessing a metastatic potential of a cell comprising the steps of:
- providing an electrode coated with a plurality of substrate cells;
obtaining a first measurement of at least one electrical property of the coated electrode;
contacting the electrode with at least one test cell;
obtaining a second measurement of at least one electrical property of the coated electrode; and
comparing the first and second measurements.
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Abstract
The present invention provides methods for the assessment of the metastatic potential of cells by measuring the effect of the cells on the impedance of an electrode. Accordingly, the present invention similarly provides methods for testing the efficacy of anti-cancer therapies and for establishing indicators of metastatic potential based on a cell'"'"'s effect on impedance. Such methods may be employed in vitro or in vivo. In some embodiments, the electrode is coated with endothelial or epithelial cells. A first aspect of the invention provides a method of assessing a metastatic potential of a cell comprising the steps of providing an electrode coated with a plurality of substrate cells, obtaining a first measurement of at least one electrical property of the coated electrode, contacting the electrode with at least one test cell, obtaining a second measurement of at least one electrical property of the coated electrode, and comparing the first and second measurements.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of assessing a metastatic potential of a cell comprising the steps of:
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providing an electrode coated with a plurality of substrate cells;
obtaining a first measurement of at least one electrical property of the coated electrode;
contacting the electrode with at least one test cell;
obtaining a second measurement of at least one electrical property of the coated electrode; and
comparing the first and second measurements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of assessing the efficacy of an anti-cancer therapy comprising the steps of:
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assessing a first metastatic potential of a test cell;
providing an anti-cancer therapy to the test cell;
assessing a second metastatic potential of the test cell; and
comparing the first and second metastatic potentials. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of developing an indicator of metastatic potential comprising the steps of:
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providing a plurality of sets of index cells of known metastatic potentials;
providing an electrode coated with a plurality of substrate cells;
obtaining a first measurement of at least one electrical property of the coated electrode;
contacting the electrode with a first set of index cells;
obtaining a second measurement of at least one electrical property of the coated electrode;
repeating the contacting step and the obtaining a second measurement step for each of the sets of index cells; and
comparing the first and second measurements for each of the sets of index cells to the known metastatic potential of each of the sets of index cells, wherein the difference in the first and second measurements is predictive of metastatic potential. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification