System and method for quality control of a shipped neural cell culture on a microelectrode array

A method for providing quality control information obtained from a microelectrode array before an event comprising the steps of:

• obtaining quality control information from the microelectrode array before the event;
• storing the quality control information in a data file;
• associating a unique identifier with the microelectrode array that corresponds to the data file;
• and
• providing access to the data file via the unique identifier after the event.

A method for using quality control information obtained from a microelectrode array before an event comprising the steps of:

• obtaining quality control information from the microelectrode array after the event;
• accessing the quality control information obtained before the event;
• and
• comparing the quality control information obtained before the event with the quality control information obtained after the event.

A method for using quality control information obtained from a microelectrode array comprising the steps of:

• obtaining quality control information from the microelectrode array before an event;
• storing the quality control information obtained before the event in a data file;
• associating a unique identifier with the microelectrode array that corresponds to the data file;
• obtaining quality control information from the microelectrode array after the event;
• accessing the quality control information obtained before the event via the unique identifier;
• and
• comparing the quality control information obtained before the event with the quality control information obtained after the event.

A method for providing an automated quality characterization of a cell culture grown on a microelectrode array for the purpose of measuring the effects on the cell culture before and after an event comprising the steps of:

• growing the cell culture from a wild-type or genetically modified animal on the microelectrode array;
• assembling a chamber that includes the cell culture grown on the microelectrode array and that can be used to ship and test the cell culture;
• measuring an electrical activity of the cell culture before an event in order to characterize a quality of the cell culture;
• storing quality control information pertaining to the cell culture, which includes both software settings and the measured electrical activity of the cell culture, on a computer readable medium for the purposes of reference at the time of subsequent testing of the cell culture;
• measuring the electrical activity of the cell culture after the event;
• and
• comparing the quality characterization measurements from the cell culture before and after the event to assess the effects of the event on the cell culture and the usability of the cell culture for future experiments.