High Throughput Cytotoxicity Screening using Photonic Crystal Biosensors

A label-free method for detecting the attachment of human cancer cells to a biosensor surface for rapid screening for biological activity is described, in which attachment of a cell results in highly localized increase of the resonant reflected wavelength of a photonic crystal narrowband reflectance filter incorporated into a standard 96-well microplate. We demonstrate the efficacy of this method as an early screening technique for the rapid quantification of the rate of cancer cell proliferation on the sensor surface, and subsequently as a means for quantifying cell detachment resulting from apoptosis that is induced by exposure of the cells to cytotoxic chemicals.