PerkinElmer this week introduced a software upgrade for its ExacTag technology. The announcement took place at the American Society for Mass Spectrometry’s 55th Annual Conference in Indianapolis.
ExacTag Analysis Software version 2.0 offers new data visualization and analysis tools, and supports many file formats for wide mass spec system compatibility. The new 2.0 software also includes ExacTag Labeling Kits, enabling simultaneous comparison of two, four, seven, or ten samples using any tandem mass spectrometer.
ExacTag Analysis Software uses signal intensity measurements from low mass reporter ions generated in the collision cell of a tandem mass spectrometer and protein identification data from standard databases like Mascot or SEQUEST to quantify and identify proteins of interest.
PBL InterferonSource this week announced the launch of the iLite Human IFN-alpha kit. The company said the gene reporter cell-based assay kit detects and quantifies the Type I interferon biological activity in cell culture medium and serum. The kit also measures the human interferon activity contained within various other liquid samples, such as cerebrospinal fluid samples or certain fermentation broths.
According to the manufacturer, the test eliminates the need for continuous cell culture, preparation of viral stocks, and the subjective estimation of cytopathology.
Ibidi this week announced the launch of µ-Slides elastic supported surfaces, which feature a new, soft surface for cell cultivation. According to the company, the new surfaces enable researchers to cultivate heart or retina cells. Ibidi also said that the surfaces allow researchers to use fluorescence microscopy to evaluate images.
Developed with Jülich research center scientists, the surface combines the requirements of low rigidity for in vivo-like cell cultivation and modern imaging. Initial results published in volume 78 of the Review of Scientific Instruments show that the carriers drive development of the cytoskeleton and facilitate other cell functions in a way that mimics in vivo cell growth more closely compared to standard slide preparations.
Ibidi exclusively distributes the slides nationwide.