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Millicell® Cell Culture Inserts & Plates

Millicell® cultureware for biologically relevant results

Millicell® cell culture inserts, plates, and cultureware are designed to maximize user convenience and biological relevance in cell culture applications. Millicell® permeable inserts encourage the natural morphology and proliferation of adherent and suspension cell lines. Optimized membranes provide cells with structure and function that closely mimic their in vivo environment, leading to more biologically-relevant results for applications including toxicity screening, primary and secondary screening, cell signaling, cell proliferation, transport assays, and ADME/Tox drug safety studies. Millicell® HY multilayer flasks save time and space in the incubator when propagating cells. Our Millicell® EZ SLIDE culture chamber slides bring enhanced features and unique design that help you spend less time reseeding cells and struggling with difficult-to-use devices, and more time analyzing results.

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Article: Alternative High-Yield Cell Culture Systems

Millicell® inserts and plates

In vivo, cells live in a three-dimensional environment and can access nutrients from all directions. In contrast, traditional plastic culture plates force cells to grow on a smooth, two-dimensional surface, leading to flattened nuclei and poor function. Millicell® inserts and plates feature a design that allows access to both the basolateral and apical surfaces of cell layers. This promotes natural, multidimensional growth and provides more relevant in vitro models than traditional plastic plates.

  • Millicell® Hanging Inserts can be suspended within plate wells by innovatively-designed flanges that position the insert off-center, facilitating pipetting by creating a larger space to one side of the well. Millicell® hanging inserts make it possible to study both apical and basal surfaces of the cell monolayer, and are excellent tools for coculture, as there is no disturbance of the outer basolateral cell culture by the presence of insert feet.
    • For coculture and permeability assays
    • Unique design facilitates basolateral access and reduces risk of contamination
    • PET (polyethylene terephthalate) track-etched, translucent thin film membrane for enhanced cell visualization and monitoring of the cell monolayer.
    • Available in three well sizes and five membrane pore sizes, including a 1 µm pore size that is optically transparent for better visualization by microscopy
    • Compatible with fluorophores for fluorescent imaging
  • Millicell® Standing Inserts are free-standing inserts that can rest at the bottom of cell culture plate wells and other vessels, elevated by insert feet. These standing inserts promote the natural growth of suspension and adherent cell lines and are available in three different optimized membranes tailored for specific needs.
    • Biopore™ PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) membranes are low protein-binding membranes developed for live cell viewing and immunofluorescent applications. The transparent membrane exhibits low background fluorescence compared to other membrane materials and is suitable for attachment-dependent cells when coated with an extracellular matrix.
    • MF-Millipore™ MCE (mixed cellulose esters) membranes are Triton®-free and can be used for cell surface receptor, in vitro toxicology, microbial attachment, and polarized uptake assays.
    • Isopore™ PCF (polycarbonate) membranes are hydrophilic and tissue culture-treated to allow growth of adherent phenotype cells without the use of extracellular coating matrix (ECM). The high pore density allows for maximum diffusion in drug transport and uptake assays.
  • Millicell® Organotypic Standing Inserts are designed for superior study of three-dimensional explant structures.
    • For high cell viability and superior study of three-dimensional explant structures
    • Shorter profile allows inserts to fit inside a standard petri dish
    • Optically clear Biopore™ (PTFE) membrane supports high viability and excellent trans-membrane oxygen transport, and is optimized for long-term explant maintenance
  • Millicell® Plate Assemblies enable cell growth, feeding, and analysis in one membrane-bottom plate optimized to grow and sustain high-integrity cell monolayers. These plates can be used manually or with automated cell seeding, feeding, and washing systems. Their thoughtful design improves function with seed-and-feed systems, automated liquid handling systems, and transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) measurement instruments.
    • Complete system with a multi-well membrane-bottom plate, single-well or multi-well receiver tray, and lid
    • Apical assist protects the cell monolayer and allows for easier pipetting and basolateral access
    • Available in a variety of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) membrane pore sizes.
    • Teardrop-shaped receiver wells eliminate air bubbles
    • Raised well edges for improved tape sealing and large font labeling for easy well identification
Millicell® EZ slides for all-in-one culturing, fixing, staining, and viewing of cells

Millicell® EZ Slides

Millicell® EZ Slides can be used to culture, fix, stain and view your cells all in one device. No need to tediously move cover slips from your culture dish to a slide, or to remove the media chamber from the slide prior to fixing or staining. Easily remove the chamber structure without worrying about breaking slides or ruining cell layers. Acquire data simply and quickly with Millicell® EZ Slides.

  • Breakable tabs for easy well removal
  • No tools required to remove wells from slide
  • No adhesive used to attach wells to slide
  • No leaky wells
  • Polypropylene wells facilitate fixing and staining with wells still attached, allowing different probes in wells
  • Slide holder protects slide from damage

Millicell® HY Flasks

Innovative multilayer cell culture flasks support uniform, consistent cell growth for high cell recovery. Manufactured with multiple identical layers, Millicell® HY flasks maximize cell culture surface area for the highest yields, while saving incubator space.

  • Save time spent passaging cells
  • Save costs associated with media, cells, and reagents
  • Consistently high cell yields
  • Uniform health across all layers
  • Easy transition from single-layer cell culture flasks
  • Fits under microscopes for monitoring cell health and confluency
  • Stackable design saves incubator space
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Applications, principles, and methods for in vitro mammalian cell culture including links to articles, protocols, and videos for proper aseptic technique, passaging and subculturing, and culture media considerations.
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