Brief Introduction

FDSS/μCELL is a laboratory screening system that compactly integrates technologies developed in drug discovery screening, enabling a purpose-built system that is simple to use.
Simultaneous measurement and analysis of the kinetics of a sample’s fluorescence or luminescence intensity in all wells at the time of compound addition are made possible by the high sensitivity two-dimensional sensor (camera) and dispenser head (96 tip type / 384 tip type). Screening various compounds at high throughput is enabled by measurement under the same conditions with no time lag between wells.

Product Characteristics

• Suitable for fluorescence / luminescence analysis

• Simultaneous addition and reading in 96 wells / 384 wells

• Enables a wide range of measurements with excitation light sources of various wavelengths

• Long life, high power LED excitation light source

• Suitable for FRET or BRET by changing wavelength

• High speed data capture of 5 ms maximum (optional)

• Simultaneous electrical stimulation and reading in 96 wells (optional)

• External control option available for automation (optional)

• Temperature can be maintained at +35 ºC to +37 ºC by installing heater unit (optional)

• CO2 incubation (optional)

• Waveform analysis (optional)

Application Fields

1、GPCRs

GPCRs (G protein-coupled receptors) play a major role in cell signaling, and many GPCR-targeted medical drugs have been developed. FDSS/μCELL is capable of detecting messengers, such as Ca2+ and cAMP, which are major contributors to the GPCR signaling system by using fluorescence and luminescence probes. FDSS/μCELL allows simultaneous dispensing and kinetic measurement of compounds in whole microplate wells, thus realizing high throughput screening.

• Ca2+ measurement: Fluo-4, Fluo-8, Cal-520, Aequorin

• cAMP measurement: Glo-Sensor

2、Ion channel

Ion channel, a class of transmembrane proteins that allow certain ions to pass through the cellular biomembrane (in or out of the cell), regulate cellular functions and are involved in the development of cardiovascular, neurologic and metabolic diseases. FDSS/μCELL performs high throughput drug screening using voltage-sensitive fluorescent dyes or fluorescent indicators for different ions.

• Na+ measurement: ANG-2, Corona-Green, Corona-Red, Sodium-Green

• K+ measurement: FluxOR

• Cl- measurement: MEQ, MQAE, YFP

• Membrane potential measurement: FluoVolt, Di-8-ANEPPS, DiBAC4 (3)

3、Luminescence

The merits, i.e., high sensitivity and low noise, of assays using luminescence probes have led to the wide application of such assays in various luciferase assay systems and Ca2+ assays using aequorin. FDSS/μCELL simultaneously performs different assays using luminescence probes on a single microplate with the use of highly sensitive two-dimensional sensors (camera), allowing for high throughput screening without bothersome time lags after substrate addition.

4、BRET / FRET

Biosensors based on the principle of resonance energy transfer that use GFP (green fluorescence protein) or Luc (luciferase) are utilized as a tool to measure various intracellular signal transmissions including ionic concentrations and signaling molecular activities. FDSS/μCELL simultaneously performs BRET (bioluminescence resonance energy transfer) measurements, a luminescence-based approach, and FRET (fluorescence resonance energy transfer) measurements, a fluorescence-based approach, on a single microplate using highly sensitive two-dimensional sensors (camera) and an automatic filter changer.

• BRET: BRET1, BRET2, Nano-BRET

• FRET: C/Y FRET, VSP, Cameleon

5、iPS-cell

Various differentiated cells have recently been created from iPSC (induced pluripotent stem cell), and this increasingly allows for the conduct of cell-based assays using human-derived native cells. In particular, iPS Cardiotoxicity, iPS Neurotoxicity, and iPS Hepatotoxicity assessments have been increasingly performed as safety evaluation of compounds. FDSS performs high throughput toxicity screening.

Additionally, the optional EFS head pacing system enables new applications of the FDSS platform using cardiomyocytes, skeletal muscle cells, and neurons.

Drug evaluation using iPS cell-derived neurons

Ca2+ transient and membrane potential measurement using iPS cell-derived cardiomyocytes

FRET assay

Luciferase assay

Intracellular Ca2+ assay