We’ve already talked about the benefits of using a low-binding surface in your cultureware to encourage the growth of spheroids. But understanding the effects of all surfaces—both how they work and the environments they create for your cell lines—is a key component to successful cell culturing.
Want to learn more? Explore our on-demand webinar: Surface Selection: Achieving Optimal Growth and Harvesting Of Your Cells, in the Cell Culture Café.
Four types of surfaces
When you’re setting up your culture, you’ll need to answer these key questions:
- Will the culture require a hydrophobic or hydrophilic surface?
- Will it benefit from additional coating?
- What harvesting method will you employ?
Your answers will guide you to choosing the right cultureware surface. Consider these basics on four surface types when making your selection:
Surface energy treated: This process delivers electronic energy into a cloud of gas, creating energetic oxidation. Depending on which kind of energy treatment is applied to the surface—corona or plasma—your cultureware’s surface will be ideal for different types of cells. A hydrophilic plasma treatment is ideal for stem cells, including embryonic stem cells.
Extracellular matrix coating (ECM): Select this surface, which works through passive absorption, when working with neurons, which will not adhere to an energy-treated coating. The ECM coating helps with the binding of tricky cells by replicating the action of basal lamina substrates on culture surfaces.
Polymer graft: Covalent binding keeps the polymers attached to the polystyrene surface, which allows greater control over the adherence and release of cells; molecules won’t come off during cell culture or harvesting.
Untreated polystyrene: This is a good choice if you need to create a nonadherent environment at a low cost.
More on selecting surfaces
There are numerous variables in finding the best surface choice. Need a shortcut to picking the optimal surface? Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Surface Selection Guide makes the right choice for your application clear.
And learn more on how surfaces are developed and how they work in our on-demand webinar, Surface Selection: Achieving Optimal Growth and Harvesting Of Your Cells, in the Cell Culture Café.
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