Acolyte to extend cell enumeration assays with BacLite® RapiTECT MAMMALIAN(M)™

Acolyte today announced plans to extend its BacLite® RapiTECT™ cell quantification and growth assays, with the launch of BacLite RapiTECT MAMMALIAN (M)™ for the rapid and accurate enumeration of mammalian cells.

Applications for RapiTECT MAMMALIAN (M) include all areas of research where quick and accurate determination of mammalian cells is required. These include drug discovery, bioengineering, bio-process and genetic research as well as many areas of academic and institution-based research.

BacLite RapiTECT MAMMALIAN (M) follows the introduction last year of BacLite RapiTECT GRAM NEGATIVE (GN)™, designed for enumeration of gram-negative bacterial cells. “It is or aim to become the premier supplier of cell enumeration assays” said Tim Coombs, Acolyte’s Chairman. “As such, Acolyte will expand the RapiTECT brand to provide life science researchers with a comprehensive range of assays for all prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.”

BacLite RapiTECT MAMMALIAN (M) uses adenylate kinase (AK) as a highly sensitive marker of viable cells. Previous research has demonstrated that using AK significantly enhances the sensitivity of cell enumeration and acts as a more reliable reporter of viable cells than ATP bioluminescence. Unlike using ATP, AK is present at relatively constant levels in viable cells and can be used to count cells at very low levels due to the ADP»ATP amplification process. This AK rapid® technology is up to 100 times more sensitive than standard ATP bioluminescence and up to 1 million times more sensitive than optical measurements.

Acolyte plans to make its RapiTECT MAMMALIAN (M) kit available for research applications in April 2006. Information on Acolyte’s product range is available at enquires@acolytebiomedica.com.