Device for monitoring cells

A method for determining the effects of at least one drug, toxin or chemical on respiring eukaryotic cells comprising:

• (i) preparing a liquid media broth of said eukaryotic cells;
• (ii) contacting said broth with a sensor composition which comprises a luminescent compound that exhibits a change in luminescent property, when irradiated with light containing wavelengths which cause said compound to luminesce, upon exposure to oxygen, wherein the presence of the sensor composition is non-destructive to the eukaryotic cells;
• (iii) admixing with said broth a quantity of said drug, toxin or chemical;
• (iv) irradiating said sensor composition with light containing wavelengths which cause said luminescent compound to luminesce;
• (v) measuring or visually observing the change in luminescent property from said luminescent compound while irradiating said sensor compound with said light;
• and
• (vi) comparing said measurement to that of a control wherein said control is selected from the group consisting of:
• a reagent control not in contact with respiring eukaryotic cells or the drug, toxin or chemical;
• a reagent control in contact with respiring eukaryotic cells but not in contact with the drug, toxin or chemical and a calculated threshold, wherein a change in luminescent property relative to the control is indicative of cytotoxicity of the drug, toxin or chemical to the eukaryotic cells;
• and
• (vii) in the event that no such change is measured or observed, repeat steps (iv), (v) and (vi), as needed, to determine the effects of the drug, toxin or chemical on the respiring eukaryotic cells.

A method for quantifying respiring eukaryotic cells in a solution comprising:

• (i) contacting said solution with a sensor composition which comprises a luminescent compound that exhibits a change in luminescent property, when irradiated with light containing wavelengths which cause said compound to luminesce, upon exposure to oxygen, wherein the presence of the sensor composition is non-destructive to the eukaryotic cells;
• (ii) irradiating said sensor composition with light containing wavelengths which cause said luminescent compound to luminesce;
• (iii) measuring or visually observing the change in luminescent property from said luminescent compound while irradiating said sensor compound with said light;
• (iv) comparing said measurement to that of a control not containing respiring eukaryotic cells, wherein said control is selected from the group consisting of:
• a reagent control not in contact with respiring eukaryotic cells and a calculated threshold, wherein a change in luminescent property relative to the luminescent property of the control is indicative of the presence of respiring eukaryotic cells;
• and
• (v) in the event that no such increase is measured or observed, repeat steps (ii), (iii), and (iv) as needed, to quantify respiring eukaryotic cells in said solution.

A method for determining the presence or absence of respiring eukaryotic cells in a solution comprising:

• (i) placing said solution in a container in which said fluid is substantially isolated from atmospheric oxygen and placing within said container, but not in direct contact with said fluid, a sensor composition which comprises a luminescent compound that exhibits a change in luminescent property, when irradiated with light containing wavelengths which cause said compound to luminesce, upon exposure to oxygen, wherein the presence of the sensor composition is non-destructive to the eukaryotic cells;
• (ii) irradiating said sensor composition with light containing wavelengths which cause said luminescent compound to luminesce;
• (iii) measuring or visually observing the luminescent light intensity from said luminescent compound while irradiating said sensor compound with said light;
• (iv) comparing said measurement to that of a control not containing respiring eukaryotic cells, wherein said control is selected from the group consisting of:
• a reagent control not in contact with respiring eukaryotic cells and a calculated threshold, wherein a change in luminescent property relative to the luminescent property of the control is indicative of the presence of respiring eukaryotic cells;
• and
• (v) in the event that no such increase is measured or observed, repeat steps (ii), (iii), and (iv) as needed, to determine the presence or absence of respiring eukaryotic cells in said solution.

A method for determining the effects of at least one drug or toxin on respiring eukaryotic cells comprising:

• (i) preparing a liquid media broth of said eukaryotic cells;
• (ii) placing said broth in a container in which said broth is substantially isolated from atmospheric oxygen and placing within said container, but not in direct contact with said broth, a sensor composition which comprises a luminescent compound that exhibits a change in luminescent property, when irradiated with light containing wavelengths which cause said compound to luminesce, upon exposure to oxygen, wherein the presence of the sensor composition is non-destructive to the eukaryotic cells;
• (iii) admixing with said liquid media broth a quantity of said drug, toxin or chemical;
• (iv) irradiating said sensor composition with light containing wavelengths which cause said luminescent compound to luminesce;
• (v) measuring or visually observing the change in luminescent property from said luminescent compound while irradiating said sensor compound with said light;
• and
• (vi) comparing said measurement to that of a control wherein said control is selected from the group consisting of:
• a reagent control not in contact with respiring eukaryotic cells or the drug, toxin or chemical;
• a reagent control in contact with respiring eukaryotic cells but not in contact with the drug, toxin or chemical and a calculated threshold, wherein a change in luminescent property relative to the control is indicative of cytotoxicity of the quantity of drug, toxin or chemical to the eukaryotic cells;
• and
• (vii) in the event that no such change is measured or observed, repeat steps (iv), (v) and (vi), as needed, to determine the effects of the drug, toxin or chemical on the respiring eukaryotic cells.

A method for quantifying respiring eukaryotic cells in a solution comprising:

• (i) placing said solution in a container in which said fluid is substantially isolated from atmospheric oxygen and placing within said container, but not in direct contact with said fluid, a sensor composition which comprises a luminescent compound that exhibits a change in luminescent property, when irradiated with light containing wavelengths which cause said compound to luminesce, upon exposure to oxygen, wherein the presence of the sensor composition is nondestructive to the eukaryotic cells;
• (ii) irradiating said sensor composition with light containing wavelengths which cause said luminescent compound to luminesce;
• (iii) measuring or visually observing the change in luminescent property from said luminescent compound while irradiating said sensor compound with said light;
• (iv) comparing said measurement to that of a control not containing respiring eukaryotic cells, wherein said control is selected from the group consisting of:
• a reagent control not in contact with respiring eukaryotic cells and a calculated threshold, wherein a change in luminescent property relative to the luminescent property of the control is indicative of the presence of respiring eukaryotic cells;
• and
• (v) in the event that no such increase is measured or observed, repeat steps (ii), (iii), and (iv) as needed, to quantify respiring eukaryotic cells in said solution.