Category Archives: Application Notes

Quick and Efficient Organoid/Cell Recovery from Animal-Based Extracellular Matrix

Introduction Contemporary hydrogel matrices provide enormous advantages for two- and three-dimensional cell culturing. They provide an environment that mimics that of natural tissue, increasing growth rates and offering conditions in which native in vivo cell behavior can be reliably assayed. Choices for hydrogel matrices include those from animal-based extracellular matrices (ECMs) such as Matrigel and […]

Using the Xeno-free VitroGel® Cell Invasion Assay Kits to Perform both Traditional and Complex Cell Mobility Studies

VitroGel Cell Invasion Assay Kit

Introduction Cell invasion is a dynamic process that is critical during embryonic development, immunosurveillance, and wound healing. Cell invasion is an orchestrated mechanism that occurs due to cell attachment to the extracellular matrix (ECM) followed by proteolytic degradation of the ECM, resulting in movement towards the newly invaded site. Cell invasion is not only crucial […]

Cell Line-Derived Xenograft Using Xeno-Free VitroGel System in Comparison to Animal-based Extracellular Matrix

Introduction Cancer progression is highly individualized. The mechanism is specific to each animal species, making oncology research one of the most challenging areas in biosciences. Recent advances that focus on the individualized nature of disease progression have been very promising; for example, Patient-Derived Xenografts (PDX) models, in which immunodeficient animals have human-derived tumor tissues embedded […]

Xeno-Free Angiogenesis Cell Models Using the VitroGel System

Introduction Angiogenesis, or the process of new blood vessel formation by sprouting from the pre-existing vasculature, plays a significant role in physiological and pathological processes, such as tumor growth or inflammation. The angiogenic microenvironment is critical in developing therapies for these pathologies, as endothelial cells can shift from quiescent to angiogenic states, leading to migration […]

Generation of Tumor Cell Spheroids in Miniaturized Nanoliter Droplets Using Xeno-free VitroGel Hydrogel Matrix

The Droplet Microarray Platform The Droplet Microarray (DMA) is made of hydrophilic spots on a superhydrophobic background that allows formation of separated and homogeneous droplets in the sub-microliter range on a planar surface. Precise filling of the DMA spots, which are typically 350-1000 µm in size, is performed using a nanoliter liquid dispenser. A capacity […]

Automated Dispensing, Monitoring, and Assay Development of Hydrogel-based 3D Cellular Models

In this work we used VitroGel® matrix for printing 3D cell structures with cells in 96-well format. VitroGel from TheWell Bioscience is a tunable, xeno-free (animal origin-free) bio-functional hydrogel system that allows maximum flexibility to manipulate the 3D cell culture environment. It is temperature-independent and an excellent alternative to animal-based extracellular matrices (ECM), like Matrigel, […]

Functionalizing Xeno-Free VitroINK® Bioinks to Promote Cell-Cell Interactions Between Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Testis Cells for In Vitro Spermatogenesis

Introduction The differentiation of sperm, termed spermatogenesis, is coordinated by somatic cells within the seminiferous tubules of the testis niche. Spermatogonial stem cells – the progenitor cells which give rise to sperm – form physical attachments to somatic cells called Sertoli cells, which guide their differentiation through a program of paracrine signaling.1 Human in vitro […]

Xeno-free Organoid Generation Workflow for Stem Cell Spheroids Using VitroGel® STEM and VitroGel® ORGANOID Hydrogel System

Application Note TheWell Bioscience, North Brunswick, NJ 08902 Over the past decade, advances in stem cells and 3D cell culture technologies have reignited interest in organoid research. Organoids are derived from stem cells such as human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) or stem/progenitor cells and are composed of different cell types that are able to self-organize, […]

3D Spheroid Invasion Assay With the Xeno-free, Bio-Functional VitroGel® Hydrogel Matrix

Application Note Nana-Fatima Haruna, John Huang TheWell Bioscience, North Brunswick, NJ 08902 Introduction Cell migration and invasion play important roles in various physiological processes such as gastrulation, embryonic morphogenesis, development of the nervous system, and immune cell trafficking. Cells need to be able to change, interact with their environment, and reach their proper spatial orientation […]

New hPSCs Expansion Method – Direct from Liquid Nitrogen to 3D Culture Using a Xeno-free Hydrogel – VitroGel® STEM

Culturing and maintaining human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) directly from cryopreservation using the xeno-free, hydrogel-based VitroGel® STEM Application Note TheWell Bioscience, North Brunswick, NJ 08902 Introduction Due to the advent of stem cell technologies, there has been an unprecedented rise in the use of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) in biomedical research. Because of its […]