PlasmoTest™

Colorimetric mycoplasma detection assay

PlasmoTest™ is the first cellular assay for the visual, colorimetric detection of mycoplasma contamination in cell cultures.

• Requires only basic cell culture knowledge
• Hands-on time < 1 hour. Results after overnight incubation
• Detects 5.102-5.105 cfu/ml mycoplasma contaminants
• Detects bacterial contaminants
• No false positive: a positive result indicates the presence of a cell culture contaminant

PlasmoTest™ features two major components:

• the mycoplasma sensor cells, HEK-Blue™-2 cells
• the HEK-Blue™ Detection medium

HEK-Blue™-2 cells recognize mycoplasmas through Toll-like Receptor 2 (TLR2), a pathogen recognition receptor.

In the presence of mycoplasmas, TLR2 initiates a signaling cascade leading to the activation of NF-kB and other transcription factors.

These transcription factors induce the secretion of SEAP (secreted embryonic alkaline phosphatase) in the supernatant.

SEAP activity is readily detected by the purple/blue coloration of the HEK-Blue™ Detection medium. HEK-Blue™ Detection is a medium specifically designed for the detection of SEAP.

Read our review on Mycoplasma contamination of cell cultures

Read our review on Mycoplasma eradication

InvivoGen's mycoplasma dectection kit is for investigative purposes only. Not for diagnostic use.