Methods of screening agents for activity using teleosts

Abstract

The present invention provides methods of screening an agent for activity using teleosts. Methods of screening an agent for angiogenesis activity, toxic activity and an effect cell death activity in teleosts are provided. The invention further provides high throughput methods of screening agents in multi-well plates.

1 - 29 . (canceled)  
   
   
       30 . A method of screening an agent for a property comprising: 
 a) providing a multi-well plate, the wells containing teleosts and agents in a volume of medium of 500 microliters or smaller per well;    b) incubating the agents with the teleosts for sufficient time to induce a response; and    c) detecting responses in the wells, wherein the response of a well into which an agent was introduced relative to the response from a control well lacking the agent is an indication of the property of the agent introduced in the well.    
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the teleosts are introduced into the wells before the agents.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the agents are introduced into the wells before the teleosts.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the agents are administered to the teleost in conjunction with at least one other compound.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising introducing a labeling reagent into the wells, which labeling reagent, through processing by or binding to a component of the teleost, generates detectable signals dependent on the extent of the responses of the teleosts, and wherein the detecting step detects the signals.  
   
   
       35 . A method of screening an agent for a property comprising: 
 a) dispensing teleosts into wells of a multi-well plate using an automated particle dispenser;    b) introducing agents into different wells of the multi-well plate, and incubating the agents with the teleosts for sufficient time to induce a response; and    c) detecting responses in the wells, wherein the response in a well into which an agent was introduced relative to the response from a control well lacking the agent is an indication of the property of the agent introduced in the well.    
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the introducing step is performed using an automated liquid handling apparatus.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the teleosts and agents are incubated in a volume of medium of 500 microliters or less.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the agents are administered to the teleost in conjunction with at least one other compound.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising introducing a labeling reagent into the wells, which labeling reagent, through processing by or binding to a component of the teleost, generates detectable signals dependent on the extent of the responses of the teleosts, and wherein the detecting step detects the signals.  
   
   
       40 . In a method of culturing a teleost, the improvement wherein the teleost is cultured in a well of a multi-well plate in a volume of medium of 500 microliters or less.  
   
   
       41 . In a method of culturing a teleost, the improvement wherein the teleost is cultured in a well of a multi-well plate having 48 or 96 or more wells.  
   
   
       42 . In a method of culturing a teleost, the improvement wherein the teleost is cultured in a well of a multi-well plate having 48 or 96 or more wells and in a volume of medium of 500 microliters or less.