A new cell line and an antibody for determining the activity of botulinum toxin are disclosed. Also disclosed is a method of determining the activity of botulinum toxin using the cell line and/or the antibody.

A new cell line and an antibody for determining the activity of botulinum toxin are disclosed. Also disclosed is a method of determining the activity of botulinum toxin using the cell line and/or the antibody.

The present invention pertains to a polyclonal or monoclonal antibody specifically binding to BoNT/E-cleaved SNAP-25. Further, the invention provides a method for directly determining the biological activity of BoNT/E in cells, comprising the steps of: a) incubating cells susceptible to BoNT/E intoxication with BoNT/E for a time and under conditions which allow for the BoNT/E to exert its biological activity; b) fixing the cells and, optionally, permeabilizing the cells with a detergent; c) contacting the cells with at least a first capture antibody specifically binding to non-cleaved and BoNT/E-cleaved SNAP-25, and with at least a second capture antibody specifically binding to BoNT/E-cleaved SNAP-25, wherein the second capture antibody is an antibody of the invention, under conditions which allow for binding of said capture antibodies to the indicated substrates; d) contacting the cells with at least a first detection antibody specifically binding to the first capture antibody, under conditions which allow for binding of said first detection antibody to said first capture antibody, thus forming first detection complexes, and with at least a second detection antibody specifically binding to the second capture antibody, under conditions which allow for binding of said second detection antibody to said second capture antibody, thus forming second detection complexes, and wherein the first detection antibody is different from the second detection antibody; e) determining the amount of the first and second detection complexes of step d); and f) calculating the amount of SNAP-25 cleaved by BoNT/E in said cells by means of the second detection complexes, thereby determining the biological activity of BoNT/E in said cells. Furthermore, the invention relates to a kit for carrying out the method of the invention.

Anew cell line and an antibody for determining the activity of botulinum toxin are disclosed. Also disclosed is a method of determining the activity of botulinum toxin using the cell line and/or the antibody.

A method for evaluating drug responsiveness includes disposing a myocardial cell produced through differential induction onto a board including an electrode, administering a drug to the myocardial cell, continuously applying, after the drug is administered, a pulse current or a pulse voltage to the myocardial cell through the electrode for a certain period of time, measuring, after the certain period of time has elapsed, a pulsation characteristic of the myocardial cell, and evaluating responsiveness of the myocardial cell to the drug on a basis of the pulsation characteristic.

The present invention is related to the field of liver disease. Solid substrates comprising microfluidic channels (e.g., microchips) are configured to support growing and differentiating hepatocytes and are contemplated to provide a suitable environment for the development of fully functional liver tissue. These solid substrates can be used to induce various toxicity conditions in the liver tissue subsequent to the exposure to various chemicals. For example, chronic exposure to ethanol induces a clinical state of alcoholic liver disease in the liver tissue. Alternatively, certain disease states can result in the development of non-alcoholic liver diseases (e.g., non- alcoholic steatohepatitis; NASH).

The present invention relates to a cell and an antibody for determining the activity of botulinum toxin, and a method of determining the activity of botulinum toxin using the same.

A new cell line and an antibody for determining the activity of botulinum toxin are disclosed. Also disclosed is a method of determining the activity of botulinum toxin using the cell line and/or the antibody.

A new cell line and an antibody for determining the activity of botulinum toxin are disclosed. Also disclosed is a method of determining the activity of botulinum toxin using the cell line and/or the antibody.

A new cell line and an antibody for determining the activity of botulinum toxin are disclosed. Also disclosed is a method of determining the activity of botulinum toxin using the cell line and/or the antibody.