INDIGO Blog

View our most recent posts to learn more about various types of receptors, cell-based assays, and their use in drug discovery and environmental testing applications. 

 

Reporter Gene Assay Protocol: Key Steps, Controls, and Best Practices

A well-designed reporter gene assay protocol helps researchers measure functional receptor or transcription factor activity with consistency and confidence. Unlike binding assays, which assess whether a compound interacts with a target, reporter gene assays measure a functional cellular response associated with target or signaling-pathway activity. This makes them valuable for evaluating agonism, antagonism, potency, efficacy,…

Unintended Receptor Activity in Industrial Chemicals: Why R&D Teams Should Screen Early

Industrial chemicals are often evaluated for performance, stability, manufacturability, and compliance before they reach the market. However, a compound that performs well in its intended application may also activate or inhibit biological receptors in ways that were not anticipated during development.Screening for unintended receptor activity in industrial chemicals can help research and development (R&D) groups…

Cell-Based Reporter Assays vs Binding Assays: When Drug Discovery Teams Need Functional Data

Choosing the right assay strategy is a critical step in receptor-targeted drug discovery. Binding assays are often used to determine whether a compound interacts with a receptor, while cell-based reporter assays evaluate what happens after that interaction occurs.The most informative approach is often not choosing one assay over the other. It is understanding when binding…

Agricultural Runoff Testing: Adding Endocrine and Xenobiotic Activity Screening

Agricultural runoff can contain more than nutrients and sediment. As rainwater, snowmelt, and irrigation return flows move across fields and agricultural facilities, they may collect pesticides, veterinary compounds, natural hormones, manure-associated contaminants, plant-derived chemicals, and transformation products. These substances can enter drainage systems, streams, ponds, and groundwater as complex mixtures.Chemical residue analysis remains essential for…

Agonist, Antagonist, and Inverse Agonist Activity: What Drug Discovery Teams Need from Receptor Assays

In receptor-focused drug discovery, teams need to understand what a compound does after it engages the receptor. Does it activate signaling? Inhibit ligand-induced activity? Reduce baseline pathway activity? These distinctions shape hit selection, lead optimization, selectivity profiling, and downstream development strategy.This is why drug discovery teams often rely on functional cell-based receptor assays that measure…