FROM 2D to 3D: BIOLOGY'S NEW DIMENSION
There are fundamental differences between a flat layer of cells and three dimensional tissue. Many of the findings in cell and molecular biology have come from cultures of cells grown on flat plastic dishes. It has recently become clear that considering biology in just two dimensions (2D) have serious limitations.
Biologists are therefore turning to three-dimensional cell culture models, where they are discovering patterns of gene expression and other cellular activities that more closely mimic what happens in living organisms.
In mammalian tissues, cells connect not only to each other, but also to a support structure called the extracellular matrix (ECM). This contains proteins, such as collagen, elastin and laminin, that give tissue their mechanical properties and help to organise communication between cells embedded within the matrix. Receptors on the surface of the cells anchor themselves to the ECM and determine how the cells interpret biological cues from their immediate microenvironment.
The complex physical, biological and biochemical nature of the ECM is perhaps a reason researchers miss vital aspects when they study cells in flat, two-dimensional layers.
A growing body of scientific evidence suggests that the behaviour of cells cultured in 3D more realistically reflects their in vivo responses. Consequently, 3D cell culture models are increasingly becoming crucial scientific tools in cell biology and cancer research as they build a bridge between conventional 2D plastic platforms and in vivo animal experiments.
QGel™ 3D Matrix Products provide a physiological environment in which the scientist can culture cells in three dimensions.
for more information see:
Cell culture: Biology's new dimension, A. Abbott, Nature, 424, 870-872, Aug 2003
Capturing complex 3D tissue physiology in vitro, L.G. Griffith, Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology 7, 211.224, Mar 2006
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QGEL™ 3D MATRIX PRODUCTS
QGel™ is an entirely synthetic hydrogel matrix that mimics key features of the natural extracellular environment cells live in vivo. The QGel™ artificial extracellular matrix (aECM) provides a physiologically relevant microenvironment for cell culture in vitro.
QGel™ 3D Matrix products are versatile 3D cell culture models because of their physiologically relevant features, their unique design flexibility of their characteristics and their stability in long-term cell culture experiments.
The flexibility of fine-tuning QGel's biological, biochemical and physical characteristics in a modular way allows for the scientist to adapt the QGel™ aECM for a vast variety of cell types and scientific applications.
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