A high quality rat tail collagen hydrogel for cell culture applications (e.g. 3D gels, scaffolds and coatings)

• Provides in vivo type extracellular matrix (ECM) structures
• Non-pepsinized native collagen for modeling biological ECM in gel matrices
• Rapid gelation facilitates optimal cell distribution in 3D gels

Applications:

• 3D cell culture in vivo matrices
• Imaging living cells in a 3D environment
• Creation of a 3D scaffold for organoids and spheroids
• Chemotaxis assays in 3D collagen gels using µ-Slide Chemotaxis
• Cell migration assays of suspended cells (e.g., leukocytes)
• Coating of cell culture vessels with a thin layer of collagen to promote cell attachment
• Cell differentiation studies in a 2D versus 3D environment
• Ideal for fluorescence microscopy due to low autofluorescence

Technical specifications:

• High quality purified protein from rat tendons
• Highly standardized manufacturing process with rigorous quality control
• Gentle manufacturing process for the highest levels of nativity
• Detailed protocol provided for easy handling
• Shipment in cool packs and storage at -20°C for defined quality and reproducibility
• Available in 2 concentrations: 5 mg/ml for standard applications and a highly concentrated 10 mg/ml solution for special applications
• The highest level of natural cross-linking on the market (highest quality level)
• High viscosity: special pipettes for highly viscous solutions are recommended
• Low autofluorescence

Use of collagen as an in vivo matrix for 3D cell culture

Collagen is the main component of connective tissue and is abundant in the mammalian body. It is widely used in 3D cell culture to model the biological extracellular matrix, or as a coating to promote cell attachment. Many cells grow naturally in a 3D environment. When grown in vitro, cells are attached to a flat 2D surface and may behave differently than when grown inside a 3D gel matrix. In many cases, a 3D environment more closely resembles an in vivo situation, which must be taken into account when planning cell culture assays.