Cell proliferation is a physiological process required for the growth and development of an organism and later to maintain adult tissue homeostasis. While cell proliferation is tightly regulated in healthy tissue, uncontrolled growth is mostly associated with carcinogenesis and most of the anti-cancer agents are designed to directly or indirectly inhibit uncontrolled cell proliferation or cause cell death. Thus, accurate quantification of cell viability and proliferation is indispensable for the drug discovery process. Cell proliferation assays are widely used as an initial test for the therapeutic efficacy of anti-cancer drugs.

Cell proliferation can be quantified based on various concepts including the rate of DNA replication, cellular metabolic activity, a cell surface antigen recognition, cell membrane permeability, production of ATP, cell proliferation markers, and uptake of key nutrients. Assays are designed to measure these key concepts and can vary on their sensitivity, specificity, cost, and procedure time. Our scientific team will help you choose the right assay to meet the specific needs depending on the molecular and cellular activities of your lead compound.