PODS PeptiGels
Manchester BIOGEL and Cell Guidance Systems have collaborated to produce PODS-PeptiGels kits which combine the benefits of two existing innovative cell culture technologies - synthetic peptide hydrogels (PeptiGels®) and sustained release growth factors (PODS®) - to provide a reproducible and highly controlled environment for 3D cell culture.
These ready-to-use kits allow researchers to tailor the cell culture system to suit their individual cell types by selecting specific growth factors and peptide hydrogel combinations for a truly relevant in vitro system.
PODS-PeptiGels have a wide range of applications in:
- In vitro cultures
- Bioprinting
- Disease modeling
- Regenerative medicine
- Drug discovery
- Biomanufacturing
- High throughput screening
Get in touch at info@cellgs.com for more information or to request a quote.
PODS-PeptiGels Applications
PODS® Growth Factors:
PODS® are cubic crystals made from 100% protein that slowly release their protein cargo through nanopores. This enables researchers to better control the behaviour of cells in hydrogels. The sustained release of proteins provided by PODS® crystals generates stable growth factor concentrations enabling precise control of the cell culture environment, significantly improving the health and quality of cells.
PODS® Controls (Empty, GFP and mCherry)
- PODS® Empty - These crystals are composed solely of polyhedrin protein. Therefore, these PODS® crystals do not contain any cargo protein and are intended to be used as negative controls alongside cargo-containing PODS® co-crystals.
- PODS® GFP and mCherry - PODS® GFP and mCherry behave in the same way as other PODS® co-crystals but do not contain a bioactive cargo protein. Rather they have fluorescent proteins that enable visualization and localization of PODS® crystals in PeptiGels utilizing fluorescence microscopy. In addition, PODS® GFP and mCherry can be used in a similar way to PODS® Empty as a non-bioactive control.
For full PODS® product listing, please click here.
PeptiGels®:
PeptiGels® are ready-to-use, fully synthetic, biologically relevant peptide hydrogels that are formulated to meet your specific cell culture needs.
PeptiGels® are designed with a range of mechanical properties and biochemical functionalities to closely mimic the native cellular micro-environment to allow the growth of a wide range of cell types. PeptiGels® come in a variety of elasticities (stiffnesses) and can be functionalised with peptide sequences including collagen (GFOGER), fibronectin (RGD), & laminin (IKVAV & YIGSR).
Choosing your PeptiGels® |
|||
|
PeptiGels® |
Charge |
Biomimetic Functionality |
Compatible Cells |
|
Alpha 4 |
+2 | None |
Most suitable for the general culture of a wide variety of cell types |
|
Alpha 4 Plus |
+2 |
RGD & GFOGER |
Most suitable for the general culture of a wide variety of cell types |
| Alpha 2 | +1 | None | Most suitable for the culture of neuronal and other related cells |
|
Alpha 2 Plus |
+1 | RGD | Most suitable for the culture of neuronal and other related cells |
| Alpha 1 | Neutral | None | Most suitable for the culture of chondrocytes and nucleus pulposes |
| Gamma 4 Plus | +2 | RGD & GFOGER | Most suitable for the culture of spheroids and organoids |
| Bespoke Gels | Varied | RGD, GFOGER, IKVAV & YIGSR | Tailored to match your cell type |
Ordering your PODS-PeptiGels kit:
Once you have chosen your tailored PODS-PeptiGels combination email order@cellgs.com to request a quote. As with conventional growth factors PODS work best within a defined range. We recommend PODS-PeptiGels are used within the following range of ratios:
Guide for the appropriate number of PODS® per ml of PeptiGel®.
If you are unsure on which combination of PODS® and PeptiGels® to use or would like to request any other PODS® growth factor, please get in touch and we'd be more than happy to help!