Cell Culture
Cells are anchorage dependent, relying on their connections with other cells, the extracellular matrix (ECM) and/or substrates to control vital functions. Plasma treatment can be used to modify material surfaces to present biologically relevant carbonyl, hydroxyl or amine containing functional groups (depending on the process gas) suitable for cell adhesion, biomolecule immobilization, or improved biocompatibility.
Biomaterials are typically chosen for their chemical inertness and low surface energies. However, these properties can also make it difficult to effectively apply functional coatings or facilitate desirable interactions with cells and other surfaces. The removal of nanoscale organic contamination and surface activation with polar functional groups enhances the adhesion of water-based films and ultimately improves the functionality and biocompatibility of material surfaces.
Benefits of Plasma Cleaning in Cell Culture
- Biocompatibility: Introduce bioactive functional groups to material surfaces to improve biocompatibility and improve cell culture outcomes
- Cell Adhesion: Tune cell culture substrates surface chemistry to improve cell adhesion, and positively impact viability, proliferation, and function
- Nanoscale Cleaning: Plasma cleaning removes nanoscale organic contamination from cell culture substrates
- Versatility: Many materials can be treated with plasma to improve cull culture, including glass, polymers, metals, and more
For more information on your specific cell culture applications, please see the following application notes:
Fluorescence Microscopy
Plasma cleaning is essential to the preparation of fluorescence microscopy samples. Plasma removes organic contamination and introduces polar groups to glass or quartz slide surfaces. As a result, plasma removes fluorescent impurities that would...
Organ on a Chip
Organ on a chip models, fabricated with plasma treatment, replicate key tissue structure, function and other physiological characteristics to better explore drug delivery, toxicology and disease progression in vitro. In medical research, in vivo...
Cell Adhesion
Cell adhesion plays an integral role in cell culture and tissue engineering. In the native environment, cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) bind to the extracellular matrix and neighboring cells to provide structural support and chemical cues vital for...
Tissue Culture Plastic (Polystyrene)
Inexpensive, disposable and transparent, plasma treated polystyrene, or tissue culture plastic (TCP), is the most extensively used cell culture material, not only because of its aforementioned qualities but because of its biological affinity....
APTES
(3-Aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES), an aminosilane originally developed as an adsorbent for affinity chromatography, has developed into a versatile tool for improving surface chemistry in cell studies and microfluidic device fabrication....
Microfluidic Cell Culture
Microfluidic devices are rapidly becoming a more advantageous cell culture platform than macroscopic culture vessels (dishes, flasks and well-plates) for numerous applications. Two dimensional cell culture benefits from a vast pool of established...
Neuron Morphology & Function
Neuron morphology, proliferation and function are regulated by a complex system of chemical and biophysical cues cumulatively termed the neuronal niche. Researchers endeavoring to model neuron activity, develop functional tissues or test drug...