Cytostar-T scintillating microplates allow the real time analysis of cell associated phenomena, such as agonist induced ion flux. However, due to the time lag involved in adding agonist to cells before loading on to a microplate counter, it has not been possible to study responses which occur in the first five minutes after agonist addition. The use of the MicroBeta® JET, with its injector modules, allows agonist to be delivered to the cells on the Cytostar-T scintillating microplate while it is in the reading position for the detectors. The article describes the use of the Cytostar-T scintillating microplates and the MicroBeta JET to study the GluR6 receptor channel expressed in BHK cells. The response of the cells to the GluR6 agonist domoate and the antagonist kynurenic acid was followed over a timecourse. The use of the MicroBeta JET enabled the immediate effects of the agonist and antagonist on the cells to be followed.
