3D Culture Insert Mimics Living Tissue

Cells will grow in plastic dishes or microtiter plates, but these form an unnatural environment that may influence the way cells react to drugs or other stimuli.

A new type of three-dimensional (3D) insert converts the artificial environment of the plastic growth chamber to one that more closely resembles what the cells would experience if they were still inside an organism.

The "Iwaki Vecell” three-dimensional cell culture insert for either 6- or 24-well microplates is available from Sterilin (Bargoed, United Kingdom).

The collagen coated Vecell three-dimensional scaffold promotes cell adhesion and proliferation without causing the type of cell stress seen in regular plastic culture vessels. The Vecell membrane is porous, enabling both cells and medium to pass through easily, mimicking in vivo tissue. This encourages cell-cell interactions and metabolic activities to occur as they would in their natural environment. 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 sterilized using ethylene oxide gas and are supplied in individual blister packs with a nonrefrigerated two-year shelf life from the date of manufacture.

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