Bioassay techniques

Studies also suggested that IL-6 causes endothelial cell dysfunction and decrease of prostacyclin production. Soluble IL-6 receptors seem to play a modulating and enhancing role in IL-6 activity (FI 8). The incidence of detection appears to be less influenced by the method of assay, as either ELISA or bioassay techniques yield consistent results, with a high correlation between these techniques. IL-6 values may be more constant and endocrine-like than those values of TNF and IL-1. 

Sharama et al. [479] compared results obtained in the determination of cobal-amins in ocean waters by radioisotope dilution and bioassay techniques. These workers showed that the isotopic methods measured both biologically active and inactive cobalamins indiscriminately when porcine factor was used as the B12-specific binder. 

Stern, et al. (43,44) reported a bioassay technique based on fetal rat bone absorption of calcitriol. Parkes and Reynolds (45) developed an in-vitro bioassay using duodenal tissue from chicken embryos. 

Glass, G.E. (ed.), "Bioassay Techniques and Environmental Chemistry", Ann Arbor Science Publishers, Inc. (1973). 

Plants have been used effectively in field surveys to determine the extent and magnitude of pollution problems and in bioassay techniques in conjunction with field surveys. Most general review articles (Table 11-1) treat, to some extent, the use of plants as indicators of air pollution. Went covered plant sensitivities to pollutants and the use of plants as indicators. He stressed the photochemical oxidants and recommended charcoal filtration for greenhouse use. Heck presented a detailed discussion and review of plants as indicators in field surveys and in the bioassay of photochemical problems. Heggestad and... 

This section is divided into reviews of plants in field surveys and plants as a bioassay technique and a brief discussion of the possible value of biologic indicators. 

The bioassay technique was developed to reduce the uncertainties associated with the use of native vegetation or cultivated crops. Plants can be started under controlled conditions and exposed under standardized conditions. Species and cultivars can be selected for oxidant sensitivity and symptom characteristics. The two studies just noted were the most closely controlled. Similar work has not been repeated. However, many investigators have grown plants under known cultural conditions and then transplanted them to field sites where they received special care. These plants can then be read for foliar symptoms throughout a given period, and the symptoms related to oxidant concentrations. The lack of apparent correlation in the two early studies could be due to the lack of specificity for the monitored oxidants, the presence of different concentrations of interacting oxidants at different times, or variations in cultural conditions between exposure times. 

Rahman, A., Choudhary, M. 1., Thomsen, W. J. Radioligand binding assays, in Bioassay Techniques for Drug Development, ed. Rahman, A., Choudhary, M. 1., Thomsen, W. J., Harwood Academic Publishers, Amsterdam, 2001, pp 179-218. 

Bioassay techniques involve testing rats on antirachitic qualities. An important physicochemical method involves reaction with antimony trichloride. 

There are literally hundreds of publications that, directly or indirectly, have contributed to the development, validation and refinement of bioassay techniques both for liquid and solid media assessment. These papers incorporate initiatives that... 

Ahlf, W., Calmano, W., Erhard, J. and Forstner, U. (1989) Comparison of rive bioassay techniques for assessing sediment-bound contaminants, in M. Munawar, G. Dixon, C.I. Mayfield, T. Reynoldson and M.H. Sadar (eds.), Environmental Bioassay Techniques and their Application Proceedings of the 1st International Conference held in Lancaster, England, 11-14 July 1988, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, Netherlands, pp. 285-289. 

Vondracek, J., M. Machala, K. Minksova, et al. 2001. Monitoring river sediments contaminated predominantly with polyaromatic hydrocarbons by chemical and in vitro bioassay techniques. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 20 1499-1506. 

In this review we point out the value of bioassays in the study of allelopathic interactions but do not attempt to critically evaluate or prioritize bioassay techniques that have been published. Since it is also not possible to propose a general bioassay for researchers, we present selected examples of bioassays that have been used to understand these plant-plant and plant-microbe chemical interactions. Furthermore, we attempt to provide an overview of some bioassays that are useful or that may be adaptable to allelochemicals. The general focus will be on laboratory bioassays since they are paramount to determine quantitative effects of allelochemicals and to ascertain actual mechanisms of allelopathy in nature. 

Horowitz, M. 1976. Application of bioassay techniques to herbicide investigations. Weed Res. 16,209-215... 

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