Cryopreserved cells facilitate cell-based drug discovery

• Published in: Drug discovery today Vol. 12; no. 13; pp. 521 - 526
• Main Authors: Zaman, Guido J.R., de Roos, Jeroen A.D.M., Blomenröhr, Marion, van Koppen, Chris J., Oosterom, Julia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2007; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Biological Assay; Cell Line; Cryopreservation - methods; Drug Design; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical - methods; General pharmacology; Humans; Medical sciences; Pharmaceutical technology. Pharmaceutical industry; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Protein Transport; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled - metabolism; Drug; Pharmaceutical technology; Cryopreservation; Screening test; Cell; In vitro; Research and development
• ISSN: 1359-6446; 1878-5832
• DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2007.05.008

Advances in detection technologies have enabled an increased use of cell-based functional assays in early drug discovery, in particular for G protein-coupled receptors. Screening assays that use live cells are less prone to generate false positives than assays using lysed cell samples. The use of cryopreserved cells instead of cells that are continuously maintained in culture decreases day-to-day variation, removes passage effects and improves the consistency of cell-based assay results. Cryopreservation techniques uncouple cell culturing from drug-screening activities and allow the use of cells as reagents, just like enzymes in biochemical assays. Recent developments in the supply of cells for screening and new assay technologies are changing the view that working with living cells is labour intensive and ‘a little bit tricky’.