| abstract |
The invention relates to methods for measuring metabolic states or rates or changes therein, such as growth rates, dying rates, cell division, metabolite production, and other biological activities of organisms, in particular of small multi-cellular organisms, of seeds and seedlings and of micro-organisms, such as fungi, yeast, bacteria, plant or animal cells and cultures thereof. The invention provides a method for determining a change in metabolic rate of at least one organism comprising placing said organism or part thereof in a confined container and repeatedly or continually measuring the concentration of a metabolic gas in said confined container to determine changes in consumption or production of said gas by said organism wherein said gas concentration is determined without essentially affecting the concentration of said gas in said confined container. |