The advent of high-throughput (HT) technologies for molecular analysis demands parallel advancement in cell-based assays. In this context, European researchers developed arrays of cells grown on specialised adhesive matrices.
Mammalian cells constitute powerful in vitro tools for studying eukaryotic cell physiology and screening novel pharmacological compounds. HT assays utilise adherent immortalised cancer cell lines grown on plastic or glass surfaces coated with extracellular matrix components. However, these cells can divide and spread in a largely uncontrolled manner, leading to results with great variability. To overcome this limitation, scientists need to repeat analyses multiple times on large sample sizes to obtain statistically significant and reproducible results.
Further details: The next generation of cell-based assays