Improve 3-Dimensional Cell Culture with Iwaki Vecell

New Iwaki Vecell 3-dimensional cell culture inserts, available from Sterilin, provide improved cultivation of adherent cell cultures and reliable cell growth. The inserts are designed for use with either 6 or 24 well culture plates.

In the past century, cell culture has become a widely used technique in research laboratories, starting with vaccine development in the early 1900’s. The more advanced techniques used today give scientists a better understanding of cellular processes and, in particular, the effects of disease. In order to proliferate, adherent cell lines need a surface on to which they can anchor. When grown using traditional plastic surfaces, the cultured cells form strong interactions with the Tissue Culture (TC) surface and the technician is then required to ‘spread’ the cells – leading to unnatural flattening of the cell nuclei.

Because there is no requirement for spreading cells across the TC growth surface, the Vecell 3- Dimensional scaffold promotes cell adhesion and proliferation without causing cell stress. The Vecell membrane is porous, enabling both cells and medium to easily pass through, mimicking in vivo tissue. This encourages cell-cell interactions and metabolic activities to occur as they would in their natural environment. Additionally, the uniformly thin layered membrane has a collagen coated surface to aid cell attachment and promote cell growth. Further modification is not required before seeding cells. Cells cultured using a Vecell insert can be viewed using Phase Contrast Microscopy and the membrane can also be easily prepared for use with both Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopes.

Vecell inserts are sterilised using ethylene oxide gas and are supplied in individual blister packs with pack quantities of 12 (for 6 well plates) or 24 (for 24 well plates) with a 2-year shelf life from the date of manufacture.