Calcium Flux
Assays
Real-time functional readouts of intracellular calcium signaling — from cell generation to data delivery and support, all under one roof.
Calcium Flux Assays
with iPSC-Derived Cells
Calcium signaling is a critical indicator of receptor activity, ion channel function, and synaptic transmission — but the cell model under the assay determines whether your data translates. Most calcium flux screens still rely on immortalized lines that overexpress a single target, producing results that can inflate potency and miss the complexity of real human tissue.
Ricoh Biosciences provides comprehensive Calcium Flux Assay Services using human iPSC-derived neurons — cells that express the native landscape of ion channels and receptors. Our platform delivers a robust functional readout of cellular activation in response to pharmacological compounds, ligands, and external stimuli, supporting drug discovery, mechanism-of-action studies, and translational disease modeling.
Calcium Flux Assay Project Deliverables
Our Calcium Flux Assay Workflow
Project Design Consultation
Each project begins with a project design discussion to define:
- Optimal iPSC line selection (healthy donor or disease-relevant lines)
- Study endpoints
- Compound panel and concentration ranges
- Replicate structure and statistical considerations
- Timeline and throughput requirements
Cell & Plate Preperation
Our team differentiates, matures, and plates iPSC-derived cells under optimized conditions for assay performance. Depending on your project, we use:
- Off-the-shelf healthy donor neurons from our catalog
- Client-provided iPSC lines expanded and differentiated via our Quick-Tissue™ platform
- Patient-derived lines for disease-specific functional studies
If you do not yet have an iPSC line, we can source appropriate lines from leading iPSC banks or support client-provided and patient-derived lines through our Quick-Tissue™ differentiation platform.
Assay Preparation
Cells are incubated with a fluorescent calcium indicator dye calibrated to detect intracellular calcium changes. Test compounds, agonists, or antagonists are then added at the defined concentrations to modulate calcium signaling. Supported additions include:
- Small molecules, ASOs, and antibodies
- Receptor agonists and antagonists
- Custom stimulation protocols tailored to your target or pathway
Real-Time Measurement
Intracellular calcium changes are monitored using FDSS (Functional Drug Screening System), a high-throughput fluorescence detection platform that captures full kinetic traces across all wells in real time. The FDSS system enables:
- High-speed imaging of calcium dynamics with microsecond temporal resolution
- Multi-well simultaneous monitoring allowing rapid screening of large compound panels
- Automated data acquisition reducing manual handling and increasing assay consistency
- Real-time analysis of peak amplitude, response onset, decay kinetics, and oscillation patterns
- Robust statistics across replicate wells for reliable dose-response determination
Data Analysis & Reporting
Our team performs quantitative analysis and delivers a detailed experimental report including:
- Raw and processed fluorescence data
- Calcium flux response curves
- Dose–response analysis (EC₅₀/IC₅₀ where applicable)
- Methods, conditions, and statistical summaries
Ca²⁺ Oscillation in a co-culture of Excitatory neurons and Astrocytes derived from iPSCs from a healthy donor. Cells were treated with HBSS alone or HBSS and either an activator, 4-AP, or an inhibitor, Glutamate, Carbamazepine, CNQX or GABA of Ca2+ oscillation at either low, medium or high concentration. Significant increase and decrease in neuron firing is observed upon culture treatment with Ca2+ flux activator and inhibitors, respectively. Drug-induced responses were consistently observed in 5-6 WIV as expected. *p < 0.05; **: p < 0.01; ***: p < 0.001, ****:p<0.0001 by uncorrected Fisher’s LSD test.
End-to-End Scientific Support
Our scientists provide end-to-end support from project design through data acquisition and analysis as part of our calcium flux assay services. We provide support across project design, assay setup, and data delivery to ensure optimal performance in your calcium flux assays.
Customization Options
Every project is tailored to your program’s requirements. Available customizations include:
Key Advantages of iPSC-Derived Cells in Calcium Flux Assays
Disease Modeling
Scalable Supply
Applications & Use Cases
Calcium flux assays support discovery and preclinical programs that require rapid, functional evaluation of compound effects on intracellular calcium signaling and neural activity in human iPSC-derived cell models.
Detection of compound-induced suppression or enhancement of neural activity to support early identification of CNS liabilities.
Functional assessment of receptors and ion channels that regulate intracellular calcium dynamics, enabling evaluation of activation, inhibition, and pathway modulation.
Screen compound, ASO, and antibody libraries to evaluate agonist, antagonist, and modulator activity. Generate dose-response data and rank-order candidates by potency and efficacy.
Run calcium flux assays on neurons differentiated from patient-derived iPSC lines to characterize disease-relevant phenotypes and compare drug responses across genetic backgrounds.
Investigate receptor-mediated calcium signaling, synaptic transmission, and intracellular signaling cascades in human iPSC-derived neuronal models.
Why Teams Choose Ricoh Biosciences
Start Your Calcium Assay Project-
Consistent Cell ModelsStandardized iPSC-derived cells reduce biological variability across experiments
-
Optimized Assay PerformanceAssays are designed for sensitivity, reproducibility, and reliable signal detection.
-
Integrated Cell & Assay ExpertiseOne partner for both cell model generation and functional testing.
-
Direct Scientific SupportOur team supports assay planning, troubleshooting, and data interpretation.
Calcium Flux Assay Resources
Assessment of Drug-Induced Calcium Oscillation Responses in hiPSC-Derived Excitatory Neuron-Astrocyte Cocultures Using the Functional Drug Screening System
Culturing 3D iPSC-Derived Neuronal Spheroids with Primary Astrocytes for Calcium Flux Assay
Start Your Calcium Flux Assay Project
Work directly with our scientific team to evaluate assay feasibility, cell models, timelines, and data outputs for your program.
Online Marketplaces
"*" indicates required fields
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions About Calcium Flux Assays
Find quick answers to common questions about calcium flux assays—or contact our team for personalized support.
What is a calcium flux assay used for?
Calcium flux assays are used to study receptor activation, ion channel function, intracellular signaling pathways, and compound-induced cellular responses in live cells.
What are the limitations of calcium flux assays?
Calcium flux assays do not directly measure electrical activity and may not capture long-term or network-level dynamics. Signal interpretation can also depend on dye loading efficiency, reporter expression, and assay conditions.
Are calcium flux assays suitable for drug screening?
Yes. Calcium flux assays are widely used in drug discovery to assess compound activity, potency, and mechanism of action, particularly for targets that regulate intracellular calcium signaling.
How does calcium flux compare to MEA?
Calcium flux assays measure rapid intracellular signaling events mediated by calcium, while MEA assays record extracellular electrical activity across neuronal networks. Calcium flux assays are often used for early screening and mechanism studies, whereas MEA assays provide long-term, network-level functional insights.