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Researchers Develop A Novel High-Throughput Assay for Tracking GPCR Internalization using Infrared Fluorescence

Lincoln, Nebraska: Researchers using the Odyssey Infrared Imaging System from LI-COR Biosciences have developed a new assay termed ‘On-Cell Westerns (OCW)’ using infrared labeled antibodies directed against extracellular epitopes to detect the internalization and recycling of GPCRs. James Wager Miller, a research scientist at the University of Washington, reports that the OCW assay can reliably detect the loss of receptors from cell surfaces following agonist treatment.

Advantages of the OCW assay compared to current methods include: no radioactivity required, fewer steps between agonist treatment and signal detection, high sensitivity and a broad linear range. This assay can also be scaled up to a 384-well format for higher throughput making it a good system for deciphering the many molecular events that occur during internalization and recycling of G protein-coupled receptor proteins.

For other papers featuring Odyssey data or to learn more about infrared imaging, visit the Odyssey Home Page.

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Characterizing GPCR Function

A presentation by Dr. Christopher Kearn, University of Washington originally presented at the Experimental Biology Meeting April 4, 2006.