The analysis of chemotaxis under real-time conditions have been almost impossible until now, with the generation of chemical gradients on these micro slides permitting observation of cell migration
Ibidi, a supplier of solutions for biomicroscopy, launches a new chemotaxis assay.
The setup is based on Ibidi's microscopy carriers, the u-Slides.
The assay allows the real time imaging of fast moving cells during incubation with a chemoattractant.
Chemotaxis is the phenomenon where single cells direct their movements according to certain chemicals in their environment.
Until now, says Ibidi, the analysis of the process under real time conditions was almost impossible.
Now, the company's scientists have generated gradients in micro-structured channels in u-Slides that allow real time imaging of the cell migration.
"The Ibidi assay is easy to perform and allows users to follow chemotactical assays on inverted microscopes.
"The assay is appropriate to cell systems that move with a speed of 5-10um per minute, like macrophages, neutrophils or Dictyostelium discoideum", says Elias Horn, the responsible project manager at Ibidi.
The development was carried out in close cooperation with the group of Dr Gerisch at the Max-Planck-Institute for Biochemistry in Martinsried, Germany.
First results with Ibidi's chemotaxis assay were published in the May issue of American Biotechnology Laboratory.
The company now plans to develop parallel assays, where the geometrical structures allow to trace as well much slower cell types, such as cancer cells and primary cells.
