METHOD OF SCREENING CELL DEATH BLOCKER

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method of screening Ca<2+> release accelerators that can prevent cells from being killed by the stimulations of a variety of biological materials as well as xenobiotica or the radiation stimulation, particularly a method of screening the substance having the Ca<2+> release-accelerating action through the PTP complex of mitochondoria and provide cell death blockers comprising the Ca<2+> release accelerators. SOLUTION: In the presence of a specimen, Ca<2+> is added to the suspension including mitochondoria in such a level that the Ca<2+> may not induce swelling of the mitochondoria to determine the Ca<2+> in the suspension or the Ca<2+> is added in an amount that the swelling of the mitochondoria is induced to measure the Ca<2+> in the suspension and the level of the swelling. In another embodiment, the specimen is added to the suspension including the endogenous Ca<2+> to determine the Ca<2+> in the suspension, or the specimen is allowed to come into contact with cultured neuron before glutamic acid is added, followed by determination of the Ca<2+> in the cytoplasm of the neuron.