Hydrogels
3D cell environment control using microstructured substates
TECHNOLOGY
STRUCTURED GELS
Cells are cultured in a 3D environment (different stiffnesses, either flat or microstructured, to mimic in vivo conditions).
> Stiffness of the substrate can be chosen from very soft (1 kPa) to very hard (50 kPa)
> Wide range of substrates topography available (flat, round wells, square wells, grooves, etc.)
> The gel based substrates are ready to be used in your cell culture experiments
> Easy and straightforward to use, since cells are seeded directly on top of the features (convenient to confine non migrating cells)
> Pre-coated with ECM matrix (e.g. fibronectin)
> Adaptable to any cell culture substrate (coverslips, Petri dishes, multiwell plates)
> The optically transparency of the gels makes these substrates compatible with high-resolution optical microscopy systems
> Contact us if you want a customized design
MICROWELLS – ASSEMBLY OF SPHEROIDS
Cells are cultured on a substrate with microwells enabling the spontaneous formation of spheroids
> The size of the spheroids depends only on the amount of cells
> The microwells have a contact point enabling the spheroid to stay anchored during manipulation
> In one well you can have many spheroids (up to 91) with reproducible sizes
> The substrates are ready to be used in your cell culture experiments
> Easy and straightforward to use, since cells are seeded directly on top of the features and spontaneously form aggregates of cells in the format of spheroids
> Adaptable to any cell culture substrate (coverslips, Petri dishes, multiwell plates)
> The optically transparency of the gels makes these substrates compatible with high-resolution optical microscopy systems
> Get in touch with us if the microwells design do suit your precise needs
APPLICATIONS
STRUCTURED GELS
Cell differentiation, Cell mechanics, Cell contractility, Cell migration, Tissue geometry mimicry, 3D cell shape control, etc.
HeLa cells seeded on microstructured gels
Mouse embryonic fibroblasts seeded on grooves
Explore examples of applications
> 3D Liver canaliculi assay: spheroid formation in 3D gels
> 3D Cardiomyocytes maturation assay: assessing the beating of iPSC-CMs
MICROWELLS – ASSEMBLY OF SPHEROIDS
Formation of spheroids, tissue structure, signaling pathways, immune activation, etc.
MSCs cells form spheroids when cultured in PEG hydrogels with microwells
MSCs (GFP) cells form spheroids when cultured in PEG hydrogels with microwells
Explore examples of applications
> How to control the size of individual spheroids
> Tracking the proliferation of cells in a spheroid and/or population of spheroids
Literature Review
PUBLICATIONS
- Adherens junction engagement regulates functional patterning of the cardiac pacemaker cell lineage
Thomas et al., 2021, Developmental Cell 56, 1498–1511 - Cardiac spheroids as promising in vitro models to study the human heart microenvironment
Polonchuk, L., et al. Scientific reports, 2017 7(1), 7005 - Current and emerging modalities for detection of cardiotoxicity in cardio-oncology
Khouri, M. G., et al. Future cardiology, 2015 11(4), 471-484 - Bioinspired living structural color hydrogels
Fu, F., et al. Science Robotics, 2018 3(16), eaar8580
- Preparation of hydrogel substrates with tunable mechanical properties
Tse, J. R., & Engler, A. J. Current protocols in cell biology, 2010 47(1) 10-16 - Differentiation of liver progenitor cell line to functional organotypic cultures in 3D nanofibrillar cellulose and hyaluronan-gelatin hydrogels
Malinen, M. M., et al. Biomaterials, 2014 35(19), 5110-5121.