Description
This CytoSoft® product, Catalog Number 5190-7EA, has various elastic moduli of approximately 0.2, 0.5, 2, 8, 16, 32 and 64 kPa in 7 individual 6-well plates. This kit provides you with 1 plate of each stiffness, allowing you to test how your cells behave across a broad range of physiologically relevant stiffness.
The thickness of the silicone gel is uniform with a ~0.5 mm thick layer of silicone in each dish that is fully compatible with mammalian cell cultures. The silicone gels are activated and ready to bind to a purified ECM, such as PureCol® type I collagen (#5005) prior to cell addition. The plates are packaged individually and sterilized, provided with 7 dishes per package.
The rigidity of the substrate to which cells adhere can have a profound effect on cell morphology and gene expression. CytoSoft® products provide a tool to culture cells on substrates with various rigidities covering a broad physiological range. On the bottom of each well, there is a thin layer of specially formulated biocompatible silicone, whose elastic modulus (rigidity) is carefully measured and certified. The surfaces of the gels in CytoSoft® products are functionalized to form covalent bonds with amines on proteins. This chemical functionalization is stable and the reaction does not require a catalyst, facilitating the coating of the gel surfaces with matrix proteins and plating cells.
The silicone substrates of CytoSoft® products are optically clear and have a low auto-florescence. The layer of silicone in each dish is firmly bonded to the bottom of the dish. Unlike hydrogels (such as polyacrylamide gels), silicone gels are not susceptible to hydrolysis, do not dry nor swell, are resilient and resistant to tearing or cracking, and their elastic moduli (rigidities) remain nearly unchanged during extended storage periods.
CytoSoft® products accommodate the harvesting of cells using enzymes such as trypsin and collagenase. There is no biochemical breakdown of the substrate during or after enzyme treatment, and there are no residuals of the substrate in the sample retrieved from a CytoSoft® plate.
| Parameter, Testing, and Method | CytoSoft® Discovery Kit, 6-well Plates #5190-7EA |
| Sterilization Method | Ozone |
| Plate Size | 6-Well Plates |
| Quantity per Package | 7 Plates |
| Rigidty (Elastic Modulus) | 0.2, 0.5, 2, 8, 16, 32, 64 kPa (exact values provided on the CofA) |
| Storage | 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 |
