Bioassays - Introduction and general principle - An organism

4 important questions on Bioassays - Introduction and general principle - An organism

On what are in vivo models based?

Using a intact organism to detect a compound.

What are the positive things of a organismal bioassay?

  • They react on a white range of chemicals
  • Reflects the actual risks that chemicals in food may pose to organisms.
  • Some compounds are activated trough the metabolic pathways of an organism in order to become toxic.

What is the mouse bioassay (MBA)?

A mouse is injected with a sample that might be toxic. Now you see how the mouse reacts. In the case of Clostridium botulinum the mouse should show neurotic symptoms before dying.
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What are the drawbacks of the in vivo BMA?

  • unethical: the sacrifice of a large number of animals is involved
  • a colony of mice between 19 g and 22 g in weight must be maintained
  • detection limit of the assay is strain-dependent - death time versus toxin level is non-linear
  • very labour-intensive to determine accurately the death time
  • sensitive to confounding factors many false positives and negatives
  • not sufficiently sensitive in detecting the toxin for the protection of human health

In spite of these difficulties, MBA still is the official method in many countries

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