Molecular Cytomics Inc
The picowell array technology invented by the Jerome Schottenstein Center team has led to the development of a commercial product and the formation of a Boston-based company to market this product. The Center's technology is the basis of a product family called the "Optical LiveCell Array", which was commercially launched by Molecular Cytomics Inc. (http://www.molecular-cytomics.com) in the USA in December 2005.
The Optical LiveCell Array Microscope Slide is compatible with all standard microscopes. This disposable microscope slide contains the embedded array of picowells, each designed to contain an individual cell. Micro-structures on the slide deliver reagents and solutions to and from the array. The LiveCell Array microscope slide is used to measure cellular responses in individual cells from adherent and non-adherent cell-lines, peripheral blood, lymph node biopsies and bone marrow.
This product, available with well sizes ranging from 15-250 microns, can be used either with individual cells or groups of cells, for scientists studying cell-cell interaction.
Molecular Cytomics Inc. has signed a global distribution agreement with Nalge Nunc International (http://www.nuncbrand.com), a Fisher Scientific (NYSE: FSH) subsidiary and leading supplier to the research laboratory market, for worldwide sales of its off-the-shelf Optical LiveCell Array slides and kits as of September 2006. This agreement was terminated in 2011. Nowadays, LiveCell Array slide-based products are sold directly through the Molecular-Cytomics web site (http://www.molecular-cytomics.com).
Since 2009, a new line of products is being co-developed by Molecular Cytomics Inc., the Jerome Schottenstein Center and zell-kontakt GmbH. The CytoCapture line of products is based on a highly precise micro contact printing/embossing technology which utilizes the UV light polymerization characteristics of a UV adhesive material in order to create a new variety of micro cavity array structures. To enable a wider use in conventional experimental setups for in vitro cell analysis, the CytoCapture micro cavity array technology has been combined with a wide range of microscopy labware formats, imaging dishes and chambered cover glasses, and will soon be implemented in optical multiwell plates with cover glass bottoms.
The original micro cavity array concept, designed to immobilize, cultivate, manipulate, stain and image non adherent single cells has been expanded for use in additional cell cultivation tasks. Larger cavity designs have been chosen to promote cultivation of adherent cells in a 3D context, co-cultures, multicellular cultures, embryonic bodies, cell clusters and spheroid cultures.
A variety of microcavity array designs have been established:
20 µm diameter with 10 µm depth for immobilization of small non adherent cells.
40 µm diameter with 15 µm depth for 3D culture of adherent cells.
250 µm diameter with 100 µm depth for cell clusters/spheroids and multicellular.
500 µm diameter with 100 µm depth for cell cluster/spheroids, multicellular, embryonic bodies and colony forming assays.
The CytoCapture product line is produced and distributed by zell-kontakt GmbH (www.zell-kontakt.de).