Homogeneous Distribution of Cells in Culture

Cultures of cell monolayers are routinely used for a wide variety of experiments. They suit biological and medical research since they are both cost-effective and suitable for analysis by several techniques such as phase contrast and fluorescence microscopy. To evaluate the ibidi µ-Slide family, cell cultures in microchannels were compared with open well cultures using similar adhesion areas. Cell layers were visualized macroscopically by crystal violet staining and additionally by fluorescence and phase contrast microscopy.

After cell adhesion, the local cell density in the open wells of the µ-Slide 8 well was compared with the corresponding density in the channels of the µ-Slide VI. The macroscopic photographs of the slides show that the cells in the open wells form characteristic patterns. Generally, one can find lots of cells at the edges of the well. Attached to that area is normally an area with a few cells only, while in the middle of the well the cell density reaches its maximum. In contrast, in the channels of µ-Slide VI the cell distribution always appears perfectly homogeneous. That is of great importance if assays need to be compared or especially if an evaluation of transfection rates or methods for immunofluorescence staining are the object of the research. These macroscopically derived results were confirmed by phase contrast and fluorescence microscopy as shown.