AtlaZ accelerates cellular research by enabling the investigation of a large variety of effects in cells over time. It offers label-free and real-time monitoring capabilities. It can simultaneously or independently record data from up to six 96-well plates.

The numerous different cell types in the human body are greatly specialized and often require a conjunctive action of a population of cells, for example in tissues. Cells are interconnected via cell junctions, multiprotein complexes found in the cell membrane of animal cells, and such cell junctions allow for a mechanical, chemical or electrical transmission of signals. These junctions can be subdivided into (I) tight junctions, (II) anchoring junctions or (III) gap junctions. Defects in cell–cell junctions give rise to a wide range of tissue abnormalities that disrupt homeostasis and are common in genetic abnormalities and cancers (1). The so-called tight junctions form the barrier in endothelial and epithelial cells. Classical transepithelial electrical resistance measurements are performed using microelectrodes, where trans- and para-cellular conductivities can be calculated (2).
Here the cells are grown on a porous filter membrane which is placed between two fluid compartments. Flux of solutes from one compartment to the other must pass the interfacial cell
layer then, and this is determined by the functional properties of the tight junctions.

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death, with, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), around 10 million people dying due to the disease in 2020 (1). Chemo and
radio-therapy are still the dominant treatment types, but advancing therapies such as immuno-therapy have emerged as tools to fight against the disease. In general, identifying T cells that kill cancer cells in vivo is critical to the development of successful cell therapies. The label-free AtlaZ immune cell killing assay can be used to measure rate of killing at Effector : Target (E:T) ratios to predict in vivo activity. In order to gain a deeper understanding of cancer cells, real-time and continuous monitoring is necessary to access kinetic and phenotypic information.

The platform used here, AtlaZ, is a quantitative live-cell analysis system and allows for cellular research on cell adhesion and proliferation, cytotoxicity, GPCR, morphology and
barrier function, label-free and in real-time. Recordings can be performed in up to six 96-well plates simultaneously or independently. Electrical impedance spectroscopy (2,3) as
the methodology behind the AtlaZ system, in combination with the throughput of 6 x 96-wells allows for a so far unmet quantity and richness of information which can be gained from cells.