Abstract: The teaching design of the experiment “screening for anti-inflammatory agents by detection of pyroptosis based on a high content screening model” was mainly introduced for the national college student innovation and entrepreneurship training program. Based on the theory of NLRP3 inflammasome activation leading to cell pyroptosis, the high content screening model was used to count the pyroptosis cells to determine the anti-inflammatory activity of the tested compound. The experimental results indicated that when NLRP3 inflammasomes were activated, cells underwent pyroptosis. PI could stain red fluorescence on pyroptosis cells, while the Hoechst 33342 could stain blue fluorescence on all cells. High content screening was used to count the cells with different fluorescence, the ratio was then used to determine the anti-inflammatory activity of the tested compound. The experiment combined the PI/Hoechst 33342 staining with high content screening, which could solve the problems of insufficient teaching funds, poor experimental conditions and so on. The experiment was convenient with low cost, the experimental results were intuitive and students could deeply, systematically and comprehensively understand the characteristics of the principle of pyroptosis. Thus, students who participated in the related innovation and entrepreneurship project of college students could further understand the basic process of new drug research and development while mastered the basic experimental skills of cell biology, effectively cultivated students' awareness of innovation and entrepreneurship and scientific literacy.

Key words: pyroptosis, experimental teaching, high content screening, NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitor, anti-inflammatory activity