title: An easy quantitative cytotoxicity assay using a Coulter Counter.
abstract: A rapid and reproducible cytotoxicity assay using an electronic particle counter, such as a Coulter Counter, is described. With anti-BAtheta antiserum and mouse thymocytes as target cells, comparable, but more objective results than those by the ordinary dye exclusion method were obtained in a short time. The procedure is very simple: Cells in a plastic multi-well plate are first exposed to antibody and complement or other cytolytic conditions and then Pronase E is added to each well to digest dead cells completely. Then the nuclei of remaining viable cells are liberated from the cytoplasm and cell debris by solubilization with Zap-Oglobin and counted in the counter. Under these conditions, contaminating erythrocytes do not cause interference, because they are completely solubilized with Zap-Oglobin. This technique should be useful for measurements on numerous samples, such as in monitoring chromatograms of cytotoxic activity and titrating antibody and complement.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001772:Blood Cell Count / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic / Q000379:methods*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D011402:Pronase / Q000494:pharmacology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D011402:Pronase