The Xcelligence real-time cell analyser (RTCA) system from Roche Applied Science uses impedance readout to non-invasively quantify cellular status in real time.
Several cell-based applications have been developed for the Xcelligence system so far - among them are cellular quality control, cell proliferation and cytotoxicity.
In a recent study, Xcelligence was used to evaluate the influence of serum deprivation on synchronisation of the murine mesenchymal progenitor cell line MuSC-E8.
Synchronisation of cells means arresting the cells in a specific phase of the cell cycle.
In most approaches, cells are arrested in the G0 phase in order to allow re-entering of the cell cycle from a state of quiescence (G0), and, under carefully defined experimental conditions, move simultaneously into subsequent phases of the cell cycle (G1, S).
Following starvation over a certain amount of time, the cell cycle can be re-entered by supplying the culture medium with 10 per cent FCS.
Using Xcelligence, the optimal time point for reentering the cell cycle of starved MuSC-E8 cells was determined.
Xcelligence is a useful tool for detailed description and optimisation of individual cell culture conditions of progenitor cell lines.
In particular, the synchronisation of cell lines by quiescence through serum deprivation can be optimised more efficiently and conveniently using Xcelligence than by traditional techniques such as end-point proliferation assay or measuring DNA content by flow cytometry.
