Description:
Reference #: 01250
The University of South Carolina is offering licensing opportunities for access to knowledge about a 3D biomimetic/biologic, trypsin-degradable cell culture system.
Background:
Mammalian cells are traditionally cultured and expanded on 2D cell culture flasks. However, the 2D culture flasks do not mimic the cell environment in vivo, leading to significant morphological changes in the cells. This renders the expanded cells unusable for clinical applications.
Invention Description:
This invention describes a 3D biomimetic/biologic, trypsin-degradable cell culture system for expansion of mammalian cells. The expanded cells are expected to possess morphology similar to the pre-cultivation primary cells. This could potentially make it possible to expand patient cells for tissue regeneration applications.
Potential Applications:
1) KeratATE culture system could replace the 2D cell culture flasks for cultivation, expansion, and passaging of primary cells isolated from mammalian tissue.
2) KeratATE culture system could replace other 3D culture systems for growing 3D tumor spheroids from cancer cells.
Advantages and Benefits:
1) The culture system is 3D, which more closely mimics the in vivo environment of the cells.
2) The cells are cultured and expanded within the honeycomb structure of the keratATE gel. Therefore, this is a microscale cell culture system.
3) The cells experience a balance of cell-cell and cell-matrix interaction similar to what they experience in vivo.
4) The heterogeneity of the cells cultured in KeratATE hydrogel is much greater than cells cultured in 2D.
5) KeratATE hydrogel does not degrade prematurely by collagenase secreted by the encapsulated cells.
6) Degradation of KeratATE by trypsin allows the release of the cells from the matrix and continuous expansion/passaging of the cells.