Overview
Cells can be cultured using CytoSoft® products on PDMS substrates with a range of rigidities that cover a wide physiological range, including 0.2, 0.5, 2, 8, 16, 32, and 64 kPa. The five typical 6-well plates in this CytoSoft® product each have a substrate with a predetermined stiffness.
This CytoSoft® 6-well plate has a known elastic modulus in a conventional 6-well plate with a flat bottom. Each well has a uniformly thick layer of silicone that is compatible with mammalian cell cultures, measuring about 0.5-mm thick.
Prior to the addition of cells, the silicone gels are activated and prepared to bind to an ECM that has been purified, such as PureCol® type I collagen (#5005). There are five plates per package, and each plate is individually packaged and sterilized.
Image Credit: Advanced BioMatrix
Features
- Cell morphology and gene expression can be significantly influenced by how rigid the substrate is to which cells adhere
- A tool for cell culture on substrates with different rigidities that cover a wide physiological range is offered by CytoSoft® products
- A thin layer of specially formulated biocompatible silicone with an elastic modulus (rigidity) that has been meticulously measured and certified covers the bottom of each well
- In CytoSoft® products, the gel surfaces are functionalized to create covalent bonds with protein amines
- The coating of the gel surfaces with matrix proteins and the plating of cells are made easier by the chemical functionalization’s stability and the lack of a catalyst needed for the reaction
Applications
- CytoSoft® products’ silicone substrates are optically clear and have minimal auto-florescence
- Each well’s layer of silicone is firmly attached to the well’s base
- In contrast to hydrogels (like polyacrylamide gels), silicone gels are resistant to hydrolysis, do not dry out or swell, are tough and resilient to tearing or cracking, and their elastic moduli (rigidities) remain almost unchanged over time
- Cells can be harvested using collagenase and trypsin with the help of CytoSoft® products
- There is no biochemical breakdown of the substrate during or after enzyme treatment, and the sample taken from a CytoSoft® plate contains no remnants of the substrate
Source: Advanced BioMatrix
| Parameter, Testing, and Method |
CytoSoft® 6-Well Plates |
| Sterilization Method |
Ozone |
| Plate Size |
6-Well Plates |
| Quantity per Package |
5 Plates |
| Rigidty (Elastic Modulus) |
0.2, 0.5, 2, 8, 16, 32, 64 kPa (exact values provided on the CofA) |
| Storage Temperature |
Room Temperature |
| Shelf Life |
Minimum of 6 months from date of receipt |
| Plate Surface Material |
Functionalized Silicone |
| Growth Area per Well |
9.5 cm2 |
| Typical Working Volume per Well |
2.0 to 3.5 mL |
| Cell Attachment Assay |
Pass |