Functional Assays and Toxicity Screening

Abstract

This chapter covers the most commonly used cell viability assays. These assays are needed for students to properly evaluate the survival of the cells and/or tissue constructs during individual steps of the tissue engineering process. Different viability assays rely on different aspects of cell metabolism with various factors possibly impacting the outcome of the assay. Therefore, a proper interpretation of results requires understanding the mechanisms of each assay. Here we briefly discuss DNA-dye binding methods, lactate dehydrogenase release, resazurin and tetrazolium conversions, and the use of LIVE/DEAD stains as means to evaluate cell viability. We also explain how to include three types of controls, the importance of working within the linear part of the standard curve, and the need to have triplicates to ensure the reproducibility of the measurements.