Abstract: Method of providing a substrate with a ready-to-use uniformly distributed extracellular matrix is disclosed. This method includes applying extracellular matrix components to a substrate area; incubating the extracellular matrix components to allow polymerization thereof; freezing the polymerized extracellular matrix on the substrate area; lyophilizing the frozen extracellular matrix on the substrate area; and allowing the lyophilized extracellular matrix to warm to room temperature. Also contemplated is a cell culture apparatus having a dried uniformly distributed extracellular matrix formed by the above-mentioned method.

Abstract: Method of providing a substrate with a ready-to-use uniformly distributed extracellular matrix is disclosed. This method includes applying extracellular matrix components to a substrate area; incubating the extracellular matrix components to allow polymerization thereof; freezing the polymerized extracellular matrix on the substrate area; lyophilizing the frozen extracellular matrix on the substrate area; and allowing the lyophilized extracellular matrix to warm to room temperature. Also contemplated is a cell culture apparatus having a dried uniformly distributed extracellular matrix formed by the above-mentioned method.

Abstract: A cell culture substrate is coated with a composition containing a cell adhesion promoter in a salt solution. A substrate such as plastic, glass or microporous fibers is coated with a composition containing about 5 .mu.g/ml to about 1000 .mu.g/ml of poly-D-lysine in an 0.005 M to about 0.5 M citrate or sulfate salt solution to provide about 50 .mu.l to about 500 .mu.l of the composition per cm.sup.2 of substrate, and the coated substrate is rinsed to remove extraneous materials and dried to obtain a coated substrate having increased shelf-life and/or stability. The coated substrate may be sterilized by rinsing with a sterilizing medium such as ethanol.

Abstract: A novel technique for determining the existence or nonexistence of a test nucleotide on a strand of DNA is provided. The determination advantageously uses an exonucleolytic agent that is capable of retaining a labeled nucleotide in a primer if there is a match between the test nucleotide on the strand of DNA and the complementary nucleotide on the primer, but not if there is a mismatch. The presence or absence of the test nucleotide then may be established by determining whether the label is preserved or lost following the reaction.

Abstract: A method of forming an analyte-functionalized liposome for use in immunoassay techniques employs a phosphotriester intermediate of a phospholipid derivatized with the desired analyte in a process of forming a liposome which is functionalized on its outer surface with the analyte and which carries an enzyme marker. The method is also used to functionalize the liposome with a ligand which acts as a leash between the analyte and the liposome. Liposomes produced by the method include penicillin-G-functionalized liposome.