Frequently Asked Questions

General






Back to CytoVu® main page




What are some recommendations for adapting my protocol to use with CytoVu®?

When adapting your protocol to CytoVu®, there are a couple things that you should keep in mind. First, the membrane in CytoVu® is more permeable than any other membrane or surface used in cell culture. This means that molecules will diffuse faster and gradients will normalize faster than in a conventional system. Second, you should keep in mind that CytoVu® is much smaller and more physiological than other systems. Therefore it is more susceptible to experimental error than conventional, large, non-physiological systems. This means that when you work with CytoVu® you be precise with quantities, environmental conditions and physical forces.

What pipette tips should I use?

You can use standard pipette tips to manipulate liquids in CytoVu®. For extra ease, try using gel-loading tips with flat heads. Using these tips will allow you to slide the head of the tip under the membrane and pipette more easily and effectively.

How do I change media in the apical and basal wells?

Apical wells:
To change media in the apical wells, aim for where the wall of the well meets the top of the chip. Come in from an angle and pipette slowly and avoid touching the membrane window or making air bubbles.
Basal wells:
To pipette into and out of the basal wells, wedge the pipette tip under the corner of the chip, between the chip and the coverglass, and slowly pipette. For added ease, try doing this with a flat-tipped gel loading pipette tip. Avoid introducing air bubbles.

Can you tri-culture with CytoVu®?

In CytoVu®, there are 3 surfaces available on which you can seed your cells. You can seed on the apical or basal side of the membrane and on the coverslip. This gives the researcher flexibility in designing experiments. Although co-culture in CytoVu® is typically done on the apical and basal membrane surfaces, it can be done on any combination of the surfaces that are available with CytoVu®.

Is there background fluorescence?

CytoVu® does not have any background fluorescence nor does it absorb any dye molecules.

What is NanoBarrier™ Technology?

NanoBarrier™ Technology is a first-in-class barrier that we can selectively add to our CytoVu® products. This barrier is negligibly thick and has an extensive array of small, 50 nm diameter, pores. NanoBarrier™ allows all molecules to move between compartments but restricts cells entirely to the chamber that they were seeded in.

How do I make the degradable NanoBarrier™ degrade?

The degradable NanoBarrier™ will begin to degrade following normal exposure to media.

Can CytoVu® be used for 3D cell culture?

CytoVu® offers many of the same features as a 3D cell culture system. By having multiple surfaces to culture cells in perfect communication, the cells of interest can establish a more physiologically relevant microenvironment than in a standard 2D culture system. Furthermore, Matrigel or other coatings can be used in CytoVu® to give cells a support matrix that will allow them to better duplicate the 3D environment.