JUST ADD CELLS – VitroGel®
Xeno-free Hydrogels for 3D Cell Culture
Next-generation 3D synthetic extracellular matrix (ECM) driving platforms for precision medicine, cell therapy, and biomanufacturing
3D Cell Culture
VITROGEL® IS A XENO-FREE (ANIMAL & HUMAN-FREE)
BIOFUNCTIONAL HYDROGEL SYSTEM FOR 3D CELL CULTURE
Closely mimicking the natural extracellular matrix (ECM) environment, our state-of-the-art, xeno-free VitroGel® hydrogel system gives an outstanding balance of biological functions and operating ease to establish a robust 3D cell culture platform and injectable delivery system to advance drug discovery, tissue engineering, cell therapy, and personalized medicine.
Animal-based basement membranes have known batch-to-batch inconsistency and over 2,000 undefined components. In contrast, the VitroGel® system is a defined synthetic hydrogel with functional ligand modifications and no animal or human compounds. The VitroGel® system provides robust hydrogel properties with controllable mechanical strength, functional ligands, and degradability. Additionally, VitroGel® allows for efficient and easy cell recovery from the 3D hydrogel matrix. Researchers have full control of the whole hydrogel system to create a biomimicking environment (ECM) for many applications.
OPEN YOUR CELL CULTURE ASSAYS TO CLINICAL APPLICATIONS
A xeno-free system is key for 3D cell culture in clinical applications. Our cutting-edge hydrogel enables high-throughput capable processing to establish 3D organotypic models from both cell lines and patient-derived cells. Using our hydrogel system as an injectable delivery system, scientists can achieve better cell retention and higher cell viability for cell therapy. Our products can be manufactured under GMP, opening the door for clinical applications.
VitroGel® Hydrogel Features
Closely mimicking the natural extracellular matrix (ECM) environment, this distinct hydrogel system brings many advantages to bridge in vitro and in vivo studies through 3D cell culture and beyond.
Ready-to-use
Mix with cells, add medium and incubate. It’s that simple! Most protocols can be performed in 20 min.
Xeno-free
100% synthetic. Animal & human origin-free hydrogel.
Room temp stable
Liquid at room temp. No dry ice shipping. No dry ice bucket.
Easy cell harvesting
20 min protocol. Use our enzyme-free cell recovery solution to harvest cells fast while maintaining high cell viability.
Reproducible
Our manufacturing process and quality control ensure batch-to-batch consistency.
Transparent
The hydrogel is transparent and compatible with different imaging systems for cell observation.
Tunable hydrogel
Adjust the hydrogel stiffness from a wide range for different applications. *High Concentration versions.
Mix & Match
Blend different types of VitroGel® to create a customized multi-functional hydrogel. *High Concentration versions.
Biocompatible
VitroGel® supports various cell activities and safe for in vivo applications.
Biofunctional modifiable
Biofunctional ligands link to hydrogel matrix through covalent bonds to induce cell-matrix interactions.
Injectable
After soft gel formation, the hydrogel is injectable for cell therapy and drug delivery applications.
Automation friendly
VitroGel® is temperature-stable and easy to pipette. It is ideal for automation and high-content screening.
Comparison of VitroGel® Hydrogels vs. Animal-based ECMs
VitroGel® offers a defined synthetic hydrogel system that closely mimics the natural ECM environment without animal or human components. This system gives researchers control over mechanical strength, functional ligands, and degradability, allowing for the creation of precise biomimetic environments tailored for various applications in drug discovery, tissue engineering, and cell therapy.
In contrast, animal-based ECMs suffer from batch-to-batch inconsistency and contain over 2,000 undefined components, highlighting the superior consistency and defined nature of the VitroGel® system for advanced biomedical research and development.
Learn the Advantages of VitroGel® Hydrogel over Animal-based ECMs >
Two Types of Hydrogel for Flexibility
“Ready-To-Use” VitroGel® Hydrogels
JUST ADD CELLS – A series of user-friendly functional hydrogels optimized for different cell culture applications.
The ready-to-use VitroGel® hydrogels have optimized multi-functional ligands and concentration formulations to support a wide range of cell types for different applications, including various 3D cell models, stem cell spheroid, and organoids. For many users, these are the preferred hydrogels that are looking for simplicity and functionality. Each hydrogel is ready to mix directly with cell suspension. There are no additional adjustments required.
With all of our VitroGel® hydrogels, no activation/cross-linking reagent is required.
Learn how gelation works with the VitroGel® hydrogels >
“Tunable” VitroGel® High Concentration Hydrogels
TUNABLE HYDROGELS – Building blocks for unlimited creativity and maximum flexibility. 3D cell culture your way!
VitroGel® High Concentration hydrogels are tunable and offer a set of building blocks to create a customized functional micro-environment that closely mimics the natural extracellular matrix (ECM) for cells to feel at home. The hydrogels come with several types of functional ligand modifications such as RGD (VitroGel® RGD), Collagen (VitroGel® COL), Laminin (VitroGel® IKVAV & VitroGel® YIGSR), and biodegradable Matrix Metalloproteinase (VitroGel® MMP). The high-concentration formulation allows maximum flexibility in manipulating the mechanical strength of hydrogel from 10 to 4000 Pa. The system allows scientists to investigate the cell behaviors in response to an individual functional ligand or create multi-functional hydrogel combinations by blending different versions of VitroGel®.
Create your own ECM. Create over 100 possible combinations using the high-concentration hydrogels.
With all of our VitroGel® hydrogels, no activation/cross-linking reagent is required.
Learn how gelation works with the VitroGel® hydrogels >
multiple cell culture methods
The XENO-FREE bio-functional VitroGel® hydrogel system is versatile for many applications. There are multiple ways to use our hydrogel system to fulfill many research needs. Here are five of our most popular cell culture methods: 3D cell culture, 2D hydrogel coating, static suspension culture, hydrogel-cell bead, and an injectable carrier. These five culture methods apply to all our ready-to-use VitroGel® and high concentration VitroGel® systems.
Learn more about multiple cell culture methods >
Easy Cell Harvesting from Hydrogel system
As easy as it is to culture 3D or 2D cells with VitroGel®, it is even easier to harvest cells from the hydrogel system with the VitroGel® Organoid Recovery Solution. This enzyme-free solution has a neutral pH and works at 37°C operating temperature. With a simple rocking and incubation process, cells cultured in 3D or 2D coating VitroGel® can be harvested within 15 minutes while maintaining high cell viability.
Learn more on How Cell Recovery Works >
An Injectable hydrogel for multiple applications
VitroGel® hydrogel system has a unique shear-thinning and rapid recovery rheological property. Under mechanical shearing force, such as injection through a syringe, the hydrogel performs a gel-sol transition and becomes free-flowing. However, once the shearing force ceases, the mechanical strength of the hydrogel can rapidly recover with a sol-gel transition and become a hydrogel again.
With this injectable property, VitroGel® can be used for in vivo cells/drug delivery with excellent retention, bioprinting, droplet formation, and laboratory automation.
Learn more about VitroGel®’s Shear-thinning and Rapid Recovery Properties>
Performance Comparison to other 3d cell culture methods
See how VitroGel® features compare to other 3D cell culture methods above.
VitroGel® gives an outstanding balance of biological functions and operating feasibility. The system can closely mimic the natural extracellular matrix, allowing high-throughput performance to build robust 3D cell models.
