Amsbio has launched the Cometassay electrophoresis system and Cometassay neutral control cells to enable investigators to optimise neutral Comet assays for highly reproducible results.
The products will also enable users to standardise neutral electrophoresis methods between individual users and laboratories.
This is in addition to the already established standardised procedure and reagents for the alkaline Comet assay.
The Comet assay is a direct method for the detection of DNA damage in cells.
It is used in cancer research, genotoxicity studies on environmental mutagens, and for screening compounds for cancer therapeutics.
Traditionally results from Comet assays have been variable depending on temperature, distance between electrodes, and buffer height.
Amsbio has offered a solution to these problems by making available a complete assay system, which includes Cometslides, reagents, control cells and an electrophoresis unit that retains test cells in a uniquely configured electrophoretic field permitting consistent DNA migration patterns, which are critical for standardisation of the assay.
Cometslides, which are available in two-, 20- and 96-well formats, are specially coated with a hydrophobic barrier to allow the easy application of cells in low-melting-point agarose without base layers or pre-treatment.
Control cells consisting of four unsynchronised cell preparations with incremental increases of DNA damage are standardised to consistently produce comets with predetermined percentages of DNA damage.
Cells for alkaline and neutral comet assays are now available allowing the standardised study of single- or double-stranded DNA breaks.
Each lot of the control cells, reagents and Cometslides, supplied by Amsbio, are tested and qualified for use in the Cometassay system.
