Measurement of cell numbers by means of the endogenous enzyme hexosaminidase: applications to cell adhesion assays in endometrial and ovarian carcinoma cell lines.

Using a chromogenic substrate for the lysosomal enzyme, hexosaminidase to estimate cell numbers, a sensitive, simple, and non-radioactive procedure has been previously developed (1) in which microtiter reaction wells are directly scanned using a spectrophotometer. The applications of this method to quantitation of cell numbers and adhesion assays to coated substrates in endometrial adenocarcinoma (Ishikawa) and epithelial ovarian cancer (Ovcar) cells are discussed. The methods are safe, cheap, and easily applicable to biological researches particularly in developing countries.