Abstract: A method for the identification and characterization of a receptor in target tissue for which a selected vector has affinity, wherein a transfected cell line expressing the receptor is added to a suspension of encapsulated microbubbles to which the selected vector is coupled and allowing the microbubbles and cells coupled thereto to float to the surface of the suspension. Upon isolating the microbubble-bound cells at the surface, these may be cultured to study the receptor, or cells may be lysed, amplifying the receptor-encoding cDNA and sequencing the cDNA.

Abstract: This invention relates to contrast agents and the use of these contrast agents for diagnosis of diseases in humans and animals based on mapping of metabolic activity. The contrast agents can be used to identify tissue or cells with metabolic activity or enzymatic activity deviating from the normal. A contrast agent substrate changes pharmacodynamic and/or pharmacokinetic properties upon a chemical modification from a contrast agent substrate to a contrast agent product in a specific enzymatic transformation, thereby detecting areas of disease upon a deviation in the enzyme activity from the normal.

Abstract: A method for the identification and characterization of a receptor in target tissue for which a selected vector has affinity, wherein a transfected cell line expressing the receptor is added to a suspension of encapsulated microbubbles to which the selected vector is coupled and allowing the microbubbles and cells coupled thereto to float to the surface of the suspension. Upon isolating the microbubble-bound cells at the surface, these may be cultured to study the receptor, or cells may be lysed, amplifying the receptor-encoding cDNA and sequencing the cDNA.