The regeneration of neurons represents a promising strategy for drugs targeted against neurodegenerative injuries and disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease [Geerts et al., 2005]. Therefore, the development of new therapies is focused on identifying molecules that affect the differentiation of neurons and neurite outgrowth. For this purpose automated measurement and analysis of neuronal cells is essential for neuroscience research and drug discovery......View PDF

Endothelins (ETs) are a class of peptide hormones with strong vasoactive properties [Bagnato & Natali, 2004]. ETs function by interacting with their G protein-coupled receptors
(GPCRs). There are two known ET subtypes, ETA and ETB [Bremnes et al., 2000] The ETA receptor (ETAR) is localized on the plasma membrane until stimulated by endothelins such as endothelin-1 (ET-1), towards which ETAR shows the highest binding affinity...View PDF

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) comprise one of the largest protein families encoded by the human genome and are a target for approximately 40% of all approved drugs [Eglen et al., 2007]. GPCRs sense molecules outside the cell and activate intracellular signal transduction pathways which ultimately lead to different cellular responses, most of which are linked to calcium signaling...View PDF

The ability to measure early indicators of toxicity is an essential part of drug discovery. In vitro cytotoxicity assays involving tissue specific cell cultures are considered to be valuable predictors for human drug toxicity. The potential of such in vitro assays lies in the fact that several cytotoxic effects in a variety of relevant pathways can be assessed simultaneously...View PDF