Employing noninvasive gold microelectrodes in diverse multiwell plate formats, the xCELLigence Real-Time Cell Analysis (RTCA) systems from ACEA biosciences maximize the physiological relevance of data extracted from in vitro cellular assays by enabling label-free, real-time monitoring of cell proliferation, cell size/morphology, cell attachment quality, and cell invasion/migration. By continuously providing this data in the short (minutes to hours) and long (days to weeks) time regimes, RTCA provides a phenotypic view of cellular behavior at an unprecedented level of detail. Choose the analyzer that fits your needs or request a demonstration.
 

    Learn More and Apply for the Grant

ACEA’s xCELLigence Research Grant is aimed at helping scientists achieve their research goals by providing them free access to Real-Time Cell Analysis (RTCA) technology. The winning scientist receives an xCELLigence RTCA DP instrument, consumables, and consultation for up to 6 months.

	Pilot Scale Cell Analyzer RTCA iCELLigence - The RTCA iCELLigence™ instrument uses noninvasive electrical impedance monitoring to quantify cell proliferation, morphology change, and attachment quality in a label-free, real-time manner. The instrument is placed in a standard CO2 cell culture incubator where it transmits data wirelessly to the Control Unit (an iPad housed outside the incubator). User friendly software allows for real-time interfacing with two separate electronic 8-well plates, and includes real-time data display and analysis functions. The larger well size in these plates provides enough cells for complementary assays including western blotting, sequencing analyses, FACS, imaging, etc.
	Single Plate Cell Analyzer RTCA SP - The SP (single plate) model differs from our other xCELLigence® instruments in that it uses a 96-well electronic microtiter plate (E-Plate® 96). The instrument is placed in a standard CO2 cell culture incubator and interfaces via a cable with analysis and control units that are housed outside the incubator. User friendly software allows for real-time control and monitoring of the instrument, and includes real-time data display and analysis functions.
	Multiple Plate Cell Analyzer RTCA MP - The MP (multiple plate) model differs from our other xCELLigence® instruments in that it can host up to six 96-well electronic microtiter plates (E-Plate® 96). These six plates can be controlled and monitored simultaneously yet independently of one another, allowing maximal productivity for multiple users. The instrument is placed in a standard CO2 cell culture incubator and interfaces via a cable with analysis and control units that are housed outside the incubator. User friendly software allows for real-time control and monitoring of the instrument, and includes real-time data display and analysis functions.
	High throughput screening RTCA HT - The HT (high throughput) model differs from our other xCELLigence® instruments in that it uses a 384-well electronic microtiter plate (E-Plate® 384). Up to four instruments can be integrated and controlled by a single analyzer/control unit, giving a total of 1536 wells. Configured for high-throughput screening applications, the RTCA HT model can be used either as a standalone instrument, or integrated into a high-throughput workflow using a Beckman FX (or equivalent) liquid handler for fully automated screening. User friendly software allows for real-time interfacing with the instrument, and includes real-time data display and analysis functions.
	Analyze Cell Invasion & Migration RTCA DP - What distinguishes the DP (dual purpose) model from our other xCELLigence instruments is its ability to additionally make kinetic measurements of cell invasion and migration (CIM) using an electronically integrated Boyden chamber (CIM-Plate® 16). The three cradles of the DP instrument enable three separate electronic 16-well plates to be controlled and monitored in parallel or independently of one another, allowing maximal productivity for multiple users. The instrument is placed in a standard CO2 cell culture incubator and is powered and controlled via a cable connected to the control unit (a laptop computer) housed outside the incubator. User friendly real-time cell analysis (RTCA) software allows for real-time interfacing with all three cradles, and includes real-time data display and analysis functions.
	Analyze Cardiomyocyte Contractility RTCA Cardio - The xCELLigence® RTCA Cardio instrument expands upon ACEA’s microelectronic-based cellular assay systems to enable monitoring of cardiomyocyte beating for cardiotoxicity assessment. While it is similar to our other xCELLigence® instruments in its use of noninvasive electrical impedance monitoring to asses cellular morphology change and attachment quality in a label-free and real-time manner, the Cardio model has a higher rate of data acquisition (every 12.9 milliseconds). Because cell-induced electrical impedance is dependent on cell size/shape and how strongly the cell interacts with the plate bottom, the contraction-relaxation cycle of cardiomyocytes gives rise to a distinct, rhythmic fluctuation in impedance that is readily captured on the millisecond time scale. Changes in the intensity and periodicity of this “beating” pattern can be monitored in the short (seconds) to long (days) time regimes to assess cardiomyocyte contractility and viability in the presence of different drugs. This enables the evaluation of both short-term and long-term (chronic exposure or repeat dosing) cardiotoxicity for clinical safety testing under conditions that are maximally physiologically relevant.
	Cardiomyocyte Contractility & Electrical Activity RTCA CardioECR - The new xCELLigence® RTCA CardioECR instrument combines high frequency measurement of cell-induced electrical impedance with multielectrode array technology to simultaneously assess cardiomyocyte contractility, viability, and electrophysiology. This model is similar to our other xCELLigence® instruments in its use of noninvasive electrical impedance monitoring to assess cellular morphology change and attachment quality in a label-free and real-time manner. Because cell-induced electrical impedance is dependent on cell size/shape and how strongly the cell interacts with the plate bottom, the contraction-relaxation cycle of cardiomyocytes gives rise to a distinct, rhythmic fluctuation in impedance that is readily captured on the millisecond time scale. Read further

Table: Overview of the different Real-Time Cell Analyzers

  

Learn more about the xCELLigence Cell Analyzer