Ilcs based pattern recognition of sepsis

Abstract

The present invention refers to a method for recognizing and/or characterizing cellular activity patterns, in particular for diagnostic purposes and/or for tracking the therapy of diseases. Blood cells are stimulated in a culture medium at least with toll-like receptor ligands (TLR ligands) and the stimulated blood cells and/or the culture medium are examined.

1 - 55 . (canceled) 
     
     
         56 . A method for the pre-clinical testing of an agent for a desired activity or lack of activity, comprising:
 a) providing a cell culture system comprising mutually communicating first and second compartments, and further comprising a separation layer that is permeable to at least one substance secreted from a cell, wherein the first compartment comprises a syntopic culture of tissue cells and immune cells, and wherein the second compartment comprises a blood cell culture;   b) contacting the cell culture system with a candidate agent;   c) incubating the cell culture system in the presence of the candidate agent; and   d) analyzing cellular activity indicators,   
       wherein the cellular activity indicators are indicative of the presence or absence of a desired activity of the agent. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the cell culture system is primed with a mediator or activator prior to contact with the candidate agent. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the cells of the cell culture system are separated from the cell culture system prior to screening for cellular activity indicators. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the immune cells comprise phagocytosing immune cells. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the phagocytosing immune cells are monocytes or macrophages or both. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the tissue cells comprise epithelial cells or epitheliod cells. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the epithelial cells are lined around blood vessels. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the epithelial cells are intenstinal epithelial cells. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the tissue cells comprise bronchial cells. 
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the tissue cells comprise skin cells. 
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the tissue cells comprise synovial cells. 
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the tissue cells comprise chondrocytes. 
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the tissue cells comprise human cells. 
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the separation layer is permeable to a substance secreted from one or more cells in the culture. 
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the separation layer comprises pores having a diameter of between about 0.1 to about 5 μm. 
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 70 , wherein the separation layer comprises pores having a diameter of between about 0.2 to about 0.45 μm.