Description
HyStem® hydrogels are xeno-free and completely customizable. Recommended for applications requiring specific attachment factor optimization as well as non-adherent cell culture, cellular applications. Extracellular matrix proteins can be mixed into the hydrogel and incorporated non-covalently before gelation. Alternatively, attachment peptides having an N-terminal cysteine can also be covalently linked to the matrix.
The HyStem Hydrogel Kits are optimal for culturing stem cells whose natural environment is rich in hyaluronic acid (HA). HyStem hydrogels can be customized by adding extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins or cell attachment peptides into the hydrogel to provide attachment site and/or differentiation signals. They can also be varied by changing the hydrogel rigidity to match that of the native cell environment. The HyStem hydrogel system is viable for cell culture in any format, from T-flasks and tissue culture inserts to 384-well microplates.
Product may be shipped ambient, but please store at -20C until ready for use.
Features
- Dimensionality (3-D encapsulation or 2-D plating on top of hydrogel)
- Flexible culture format (384- through 6-well plates, tissue-culture inserts, and T-flasks)
- Variable amounts and type of ECM protein incorporated
- Gelation properties including gelation time and hydrogel stiffness
Animal-free System
HyStem hydrogels are xeno-free since its two components are thiol-modified hyaluronan (Glycosil®) and a thiol-reactive crosslinker (polyethylene glycol diacrylate, Extralink®-Lite). The hyaluronic acid used to produce HyStem is made by a proprietary bacterial-fermentation process using bacillus subtilis (Novozymes). It is 100% free of animal-derived raw materials and no animal-derived ingredients are used in its production. Extralink (polyethylene glycol diacrylate) is made by adding acrylate groups to both ends of a polyethylene glycol (PEG) polymer. PEG is derived from petroleum and inorganic sources and contains no animal source materials.
Gelation
Reconstituted HyStem-C components remain liquid at 15 to 37°C for several hours. The hydrogel is formed when the crosslinking agent, Extralink®-Lite (PEGDA) is added to a mixture of Glycosil® (thiol-modified hyaluronan. Gelation occurs in about twenty minutes after all three components are mixed. No steps depend on low temperatures or low pH. Diluting the components with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) or cell-culture medium can increase the gelation time.
3D Cell Recovery Matrix
For application where cell recovery is critical, the alternative crosslinker PEGSSDA is available for use with all HyStem hydrogel kits. This crosslinker provides the same advantages offered by Extralink with the additional benefit of containing easily reducible internal bonds. This allows for fast, easy recovery of single cells or clusters from the hydrogel for applications like RNA analysis or flow cytometry instead of slow enzymatic methods that can impact cell viability. Researchers are encouraged to contact us to determine the compatibility of particular cell types or culture systems with PEGSSDA.
