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Novel Sensor Nanoparticles Help Reduce Need for Animal Testing
04.01.12 - A research team at the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Modular Solid State Technologies EMFT in Munich, Germany, has developed novel nanosensors that are capable of decreasing the number of experiments conducted on animals.
The sensor nanoparticles synthesized by the research team can be used to study the impact of chemical compounds such as drugs and other medical treatments on live cells in culture. Healthy cells use and store high levels of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for energy. If metabolic activity is at a high level in the cells, they produce more ATP. Thus, the damaged cells can only generate lower amount of ATP. According to the research group, the innovative nanosensor is capable of determining the amount of ATP in order to assess the health status of the cells, which in turn helps determine the damage that can be caused by medical chemicals and compounds on the cells.
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