The MIST shipable cell bioassay kits for PSP: An alternative to the mouse bioassay

A shipable cell bioassay kit called MIST (Maritime In Vitro Shellfish Test) has been developed by Jellett Biotek Ltd. for Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP). This technology is a cost-effective alternative to the mouse bioassay, and is 20 times more sensitive than the mouse. The kits provide precultured cells and premixed reagents, eliminating the need for tissue culture facilities or expertise and are robust enough to be performed in the field or on a ship. They are available in three formats: fully quantitative, semiquantitative, and a qualitative (yes/no) version, called Mini-MIST. The shelf life of the quantitative MIST Kit is 3 weeks, although this can be extended by freezing the cells to -100 degree C. The kits have been successfully shipped from Canada to as far away as Australia and New Zealand. The MIST technology has been used to determine total PSP toxicity in acid extracts of phytoplankton, lobster hepatopancreas, mussels, scallops, clams, cyanobacteria, and processed food. It has also been used to determine toxicity in phytoplankton samples. Results of parallel trials with the cell bioassay and the mouse bioassay are summarized.