Good Equipment for Measuring Cell Proliferation, Migration Invasion, etc.

This instrument is based on electrical impedance generated by microelectrodes at the bottom of plates. These plates are single use for culturing adherent cells. Generally two types of plates are widely used - E-16 and CIM. E-16 plates are used to culture cells and measure their growth and proliferation. As the cells grow the electrical impedance is disturbed and is reflected in the form of a ratio called cell index. Higher cell index means more cells attached to the surface. This highly sensitive technology can be utilized for many different applications. Monitoring the effect of drugs, comparing rate of cell proliferation are some of the most commonly used applications. CIM plates are similar to bowden chambers where cells are seeded on upper chamber and an attractant is placed in the lower chamber to analyze the migratory potential of cells.We used this equipment to compare the rate of proliferation among cells with different properties and treatments.The good: Data is generated in real time. No monitoring is needed. Experiments can be set and let go. The bad: It's only useful for cells that can adhere.