OptiCell™ - Building Block for Drug Discovery

OptiCell™ is a new concept in high performance cell culture technology and has been designed to be a building block for applications in biotechnology and drug discovery and for the production of cell products such as monoclonal antibodies and cytokines.

OptiCell is a sterile, sealed cell environment between two optically clear gas-permeable growth surfaces in a standard microtiter plate-sized frame. Self-sealing ports provide easy aseptic access to the interior and contents using a syringe with OptiCell tip, or micropipette. Each OptiCell provides 100 cm2 of growth surface area in only 10 ml of culture volume. Cells can be grown attached to either surface or in suspension.

Up to 20 OptiCells can be organized in specially designed OptiCell™ racks for easy access, cell attachment, and incubation. When inserted in racks, each OptiCell is locked into place with the two ports exposed. The exposed ports allow media and cell transfer between OptiCells. Connected with manifolds, multiple OptiCells can operate as a single cell culture unit in perfusion arrays and other applications. The closed cell environment, self-sealing access ports, and gas-permeable growth surfaces of OptiCell accommodate continuous media perfusion and recovery in closed loop and open flow arrangements.

Optically clear growth surfaces allow unsurpassed visual access to living cells and processes with any kind of microscope and standard or specialized optics, including high resolution microscopy.

A variety of customized systems targeting the analysis of biological and pharmacological processes can be designed using OptiCell, including in vitro phamacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies, cell-secreted product harvesting and concentration, and dynamic studies of cellular interactions.

BioCrystal Ltd., 575 McCorkle Boulevard, Westerville, OH 43082. Tel: 614-818-0019; Fax: 614-818-1147.