Precision Multichannel Pipetting Enables Fast and Economic 3D Microtissue Cultivation

Integra, in association with Insphero, have released an application note that describes how a precise pipetting technology enables the efficient use of a hanging drop culture system overcoming many of the drawbacks of conventional cell culture techniques. Cells cultured in standard suspension or monolayer culture typically lose many features that are characteristic of cells in tissue and limit their use to study certain aspects of cell biology. The major differences to in vivo growth conditions of cells include the absence or limited interaction of cell-cell interaction and cell-matrix interaction, a lack of three-dimensional architectural appearance and changed hormonal, nutritional and physical environment. The application note describes how Insphero’s unique hanging drop cell culture system is used to generate a diverse range of microtissues. This microtissue system is based on the innovative GravityPlus culture platform for which multichannel pipettes have to be used for the efficient liquid media exchange of the culture drops. Through extensive working and testing of the drop culture system the researchers demonstrate how the versatility and precision of Integra VIAFLO electronic pipettes allows fast and economic cultivation of the cells in hanging droplets.

Integra VIAFLO pipettes feature a unique Tri-Lobe tip fitting system (GripTips), which delivers high lateral resistance ensuring that tips snap precisely and securely into place. As a result, GripTips deliver a precise and consistent tip seal ensuring that all tips on a multichannel pipette are precisely in line and at the same height thereby increasing the accuracy and precision of each multichannel dispense and at the same time, never accidentally fall off. For Insphero the outstanding tip fitting providing precise positioning of the tips was one of the key reasons for using the Integra Viaflo pipettes as it guaranteed precise connection of all tips to the bores on their GravityPlus platform. This application is an example of the unmatched multichannel dispensing precision achievable using Integra Viaflo pipettes with the GripTip system.