Methods of detecting bioactive compounds include exposing compounds to one
or more classes of chromatophores and measuring or sensing associated changes in
one or more of the chromatophores. Representative methods permit identification
and quantification of neurotransmitters, toxins, hormones, and chemical warfare
agents with or without prior knowledge of the content of a sample. In some examples,
chromatophores based on Betta fish are used. Cytosensor apparatus using such chromatophores
include means for exposing chromatophores to a sample and optical detection systems
for assessing changes in chromatophore optical properties. Compounds can be identified
or quantified based on a red-green-blue or hue saturation-value representations
of transmitted or reflected light or based on other characterizations of transmitted
or reflected light.
