Biomaterial Database

Whole cell microtubule analysis by flow cytometry. 2012

Karen C Morrison, and Paul J Hergenrother

Roger Adams Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.

Perturbation of the tubulin/microtubule dynamic in cells is perhaps the single most important mode of action of anticancer drugs. Standard methods for identifying and evaluating compounds for their ability to alter tubulin polymerization are low throughput, labor intensive, expensive, or make their assessment in vitro. Here we report a method to rapidly quantify the extent of tubulin polymerization in whole cells using flow cytometry, and we use this technique to evaluate compounds that stabilize and destabilize microtubule formation. This facile method is useful for conveniently, quantitatively, and cost-effectively comparing small molecules that perturb tubulin polymerization.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008870	Microtubules	Slender, cylindrical filaments found in the cytoskeleton of plant and animal cells. They are composed of the protein TUBULIN and are influenced by TUBULIN MODULATORS.	Microtubule
D003603	Cytotoxins	Substances that are toxic to cells; they may be involved in immunity or may be contained in venoms. These are distinguished from CYTOSTATIC AGENTS in degree of effect. Some of them are used as CYTOTOXIC ANTIBIOTICS. The mechanism of action of many of these are as ALKYLATING AGENTS or MITOSIS MODULATORS.	Cytolysins,Cytotoxic Agent,Cytotoxic Agents,Cytotoxin,Agent, Cytotoxic
D004353	Drug Evaluation, Preclinical	Preclinical testing of drugs in experimental animals or in vitro for their biological and toxic effects and potential clinical applications.	Drug Screening,Evaluation Studies, Drug, Pre-Clinical,Drug Evaluation Studies, Preclinical,Drug Evaluations, Preclinical,Evaluation Studies, Drug, Preclinical,Evaluation, Preclinical Drug,Evaluations, Preclinical Drug,Medicinal Plants Testing, Preclinical,Preclinical Drug Evaluation,Preclinical Drug Evaluations,Drug Screenings,Screening, Drug,Screenings, Drug
D005434	Flow Cytometry	Technique using an instrument system for making, processing, and displaying one or more measurements on individual cells obtained from a cell suspension. Cells are usually stained with one or more fluorescent dyes specific to cell components of interest, e.g., DNA, and fluorescence of each cell is measured as it rapidly transverses the excitation beam (laser or mercury arc lamp). Fluorescence provides a quantitative measure of various biochemical and biophysical properties of the cell, as well as a basis for cell sorting. Other measurable optical parameters include light absorption and light scattering, the latter being applicable to the measurement of cell size, shape, density, granularity, and stain uptake.	Cytofluorometry, Flow,Cytometry, Flow,Flow Microfluorimetry,Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting,Microfluorometry, Flow,Cell Sorting, Fluorescence-Activated,Cell Sortings, Fluorescence-Activated,Cytofluorometries, Flow,Cytometries, Flow,Flow Cytofluorometries,Flow Cytofluorometry,Flow Cytometries,Flow Microfluorometries,Flow Microfluorometry,Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting,Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sortings,Microfluorimetry, Flow,Microfluorometries, Flow,Sorting, Fluorescence-Activated Cell,Sortings, Fluorescence-Activated Cell
D006367	HeLa Cells	The first continuously cultured human malignant CELL LINE, derived from the cervical carcinoma of Henrietta Lacks. These cells are used for, among other things, VIRUS CULTIVATION and PRECLINICAL DRUG EVALUATION assays.	Cell, HeLa,Cells, HeLa,HeLa Cell
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014404	Tubulin	A microtubule subunit protein found in large quantities in mammalian brain. It has also been isolated from SPERM FLAGELLUM; CILIA; and other sources. Structurally, the protein is a dimer with a molecular weight of approximately 120,000 and a sedimentation coefficient of 5.8S. It binds to COLCHICINE; VINCRISTINE; and VINBLASTINE.	alpha-Tubulin,beta-Tubulin,delta-Tubulin,epsilon-Tubulin,gamma-Tubulin,alpha Tubulin,beta Tubulin,delta Tubulin,epsilon Tubulin,gamma Tubulin
D057166	High-Throughput Screening Assays	Rapid methods of measuring the effects of an agent in a biological or chemical assay. The assay usually involves some form of automation or a way to conduct multiple assays at the same time using sample arrays.	High-Throughput Screening,High-Throughput Biological Assays,High-Throughput Chemical Assays,High-Throughput Screening Methods,Assay, High-Throughput Biological,Assay, High-Throughput Chemical,Assay, High-Throughput Screening,Biological Assay, High-Throughput,Chemical Assay, High-Throughput,High Throughput Biological Assays,High Throughput Chemical Assays,High Throughput Screening,High Throughput Screening Assays,High Throughput Screening Methods,High-Throughput Biological Assay,High-Throughput Chemical Assay,High-Throughput Screening Assay,High-Throughput Screening Method,High-Throughput Screenings,Screening Assay, High-Throughput,Screening Method, High-Throughput,Screening, High-Throughput