Functional Assays

• Selection of the optimal technology to monitor the function of different cell types - a skill refined through years of experience 
• Expert guidance on the appropriate readouts to meet the needs of your project 
• Experience throughout the biology team that can be matched to your target and therapeutic area for a customized approach  

Functional assay studies 

‍Various cell types can be studied, including those derived from rodents, human donors, or iPSC sources, provided they align with the target or compound's mode of action and the specific disease pathology. For instance, if the target or compound is related to T cell function, appropriate functional T cell assays must be employed. Since T cells exhibit different functionalities depending on the pathogenic context in vivo, this variability must be considered during experimental design. For example, Th1/Th17 T cells should be utilized if the target or compound is being developed to address autoimmune or inflammatory diseases.  

Our team use their years of experience to choose the best technology for monitoring the function of different cell types. Readouts can range from straightforward measures like proliferation to more advanced analyses. Examples include assessing cytokine and chemokine release, changes in gene expression, activation marker expression, migration, phagocytosis, and more. Often, a single readout is insufficient to fully understand the behavior of your target or compound. Our team of experts is here to guide you in choosing the most appropriate readouts to meet the specific needs of your drug discovery project. 

‍Browse our pre-validated functional assays by cell type 

Explore some of our most popular functional assays or contact us to find out what else we can offer: 

• T lymphocytes
• Macrophages 
• NK cells  
• Fibroblasts  
• Cancer cells  
• Microglia  
• Astrocytes  
• Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cells (OPCs) 
• Neurons

 T lymphocytes: 

• Polyclonal and antigen-specific T cell activation assays measuring proliferation, activation markers, and cytokine release such as IFN-γ and IL-2 
• T cell polarization assays including Th1, Th17 and iTreg 
• DC-T cell coculture assay (MLR and autologous assay using peptide pools) 
• T cell-mediated tumor cell killing assay 
• Exhausted T cell assay 
• T cell chemotaxis assay 
• iTreg and nTreg suppression assay 

‍Macrophages: 

• Macrophage differentiation, polarization and activation assays 
• T cells suppression and activation assays in a co-culture setting 
• Epithelial-Mesenchymal-Transition (EMT) assay 
• Phagocytosis and efferocytosis assay 
• NLRP3 Inflammasome activation assay 

‍NK cell: 

• NK cell activation assay 
• NK cell natural cytotoxicity assay 
• Antibody mediated cellular cytotoxicity assay (ADCC) 

‍Fibroblast: 

• Cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) activation assay 

‍Cancer cells: 

• Growth, apoptosis and necrosis assays 
• Immunogenic cell death utilizing extracellular ATP, HMGB1 release and surface calreticulin detection 

‍Microglia:

• Microglia polarization assay  
• Microglial phagocytosis assay 

‍Astrocytes:

• Astrocyte polarization assay 

‍Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cells (OPCs):

• OPC Maturation assay 

‍Neurons:

• Neurite outgrowth assays 
• Neurotoxicity and neuroprotection assays