We are here to help you enjoy your scientific exploration. Please read these FAQs before contacting us. If your question still has not been answered, send us an email at support@thewellbio.com.
If you want to download the FAQ in PDF format, click here.
[ultimate-faqs include_category=’1-general-questions’] [ultimate-faqs include_category=’2-hydrogel-formation-and-prep’] [ultimate-faqs include_category=’3-cell-prep’] [ultimate-faqs include_category=’4-imaging-analysis’] [ultimate-faqs include_category=’5-applications’] [ultimate-faqs include_category=’10-bone-product-finder’]
Xenograft FAQ
Most customers working with mice use an injection volume of 100-200 μL (depending on cell type). For rat models, the injection volume is about 500 μL.
The typical implanting cell number is between 1 to 10 x 106 depending on different cell types. The cell suspension can be prepared in PBS to obtain 2-20 x 107 cells per mL and then be mixed with VitroGel at 1:1 ratio (v/v). The cell density can be adjusted based on the inoculation volume (e.g., 100 or 200 μL) as well as the mixing ratio between VitroGel: Cell suspension. Please check user protocols for different mixing ratios.
No. Unlike Matrigel, VitroGel is ready-to-use and can mix with a cell suspension at room temperature. After the hydrogel and cell suspension are mixed and transferred to a syringe, you can put the mixture on ice, or 4 degrees Celsius, for 5-10 minutes to accelerate the injectable hydrogel formation and ensure a homogenous cell suspension. After that, the hydrogel can be kept at room temperature for long-term injection. Alternately, if you don’t want to use cold temperature for any part of the protocol, simply put the hydrogel-cell mixture at room temperature for 15 minutes for gel stabilization before injection. VitroGel has a unique shear-thinning and rapid recovery property, which can maintain a long-term injectable status (hours) and excellent cell retention after injection without the needle clogging issue (Please check this page for more details and illustrated protocol).
As opposed to Matrigel, which has a fast solidification process when the temperature is higher than 10 degrees Celsius, the VitroGel-Cell mixture forms a soft injectable hydrogel. The hydrogel has a unique shear-thinning and rapid recovery property which enables it to retain its injectable status for months even (unless more culture is not added or for as long as the cells survive).
After injection, the sol-gel transition happens immediately, which rebuilds the mechanical strength of the hydrogel and holds cells within the hydrogel matrix. Hence, our hydrogel system has excellent cell retention after injection.
No. Adding supplements to the hydrogel matrix is not required. For most xenograft applications, preparing cells in PBS solution works extremely well with VitroGel. On the other hand, VitroGel is animal-origin free, which gives the flexibility for researchers to manipulate the supplement in a gel-cell mixture if needed.
The growth factors added depend on your application and system. The common ones include BSA, HSA, serum replacement, etc. If serum supplement is not a concern, you can also add FBS to give the system an extra push to see promising cell growth.
No, there is no issue with bubble formation due to the low viscosity of VitroGel. There is an option to warm the medium and hydrogel solution before mixing them, as this can help reduce the viscosity.
Yes, VitroGel allows for different injection sites like subcutaneous, orthotopic, IP, etc. Some injections that are difficult with an animal-based matrix can perform smoothly with VitroGel.
VitroGel performs extremely well for tumor formation. The tumor formation rate is almost 100% for typical cell types and even over 70% for some difficult cell types. In most cell types, the tumor growth kinetics in VitroGel are faster or equal to Matrigel.
Yes, the successful cell type list is constantly growing. Please contact support if you do not see a cell type of interest listed. | support@thewellbio.com
View tables of cells cultured in vitro with VitroGel: Cell Type Hydrogel Guide
If you need to check the most updated successful cell-type table, please contact support@thewellbio.com.
Yes, this xenograft application page is being updated daily. Please periodically check this page for updated protocols, videos, and other relevant data.
