InvivoSciences Products & Services

We believe that the key to successful in vitro testing is to develop models that mimic the in vivo system. Our assay platform bridges the gap between cell-based systems and isolated organ tissue systems or animal models using three-dimensional geometrics and physical environments for cells.

Our proprietary technology allows the growth of engineered tissues with no synthetic support layer. This allows the direct assessment of mechanical and other biological properties. The Palpator platform can assess the therapeutic efficacy of pharmaceutical candidates via compound profiling to analyze key physiological parameters (Ca2+, action potentials, metabolic rates) of engineered tissues in vivo.

InvivoSciences is a contract research provider for drug screening utilizing our unique 3D hydrogel technology. We provide services for development, testing and validation of assays that are unique to each project. We have the experience needed to provide fast, comprehensive results. Our flexible fabrication process of our tissue culture platform can be modified to suit individual requests. For more information please contact us!

Palpator™ Technical Specifications

The Palpator™ is an automated assay system that measures cellular contractility and extracellular matrix stiffness of 3D tissue constructs. The highly sensitive force detection system reports cell and tissue physical properties corresponding to their physiological states.

Applications:

• Cellular contractility

• Extracellular matrix stiffness

• Preload dependent cardiac contractility assay

• Toxicity determinations

• Signal transduction studies for cellular contractility

• Long term (days, weeks, months) efficacy and toxicity testing

• Pharmaceutical compound screening

Demonstration Video (see left): Force measurement of

engineered cardiac tissue paced under low and high tension

Mini-Construct Chamber 3D Engineered Tissue Constructs

MC-8™ Technical Specifications

This 8-well, disposable, plastic tissue culture module allows researchers the ability to repeatedly and reproducibly craft miniature engineered tissue (ET) constructs using customer-specified cell types. The cell's contractility and extracellular matrix stiffness can then be measured by the companion Palpator™. With little preparation, cells growing in the MC-8's constructs become sensitive reporters of Ca²⁺ signaling, mitochondrial potentials and other biological parameters that indicate their physiological states. The top and bottom of the MC-8™ are transparent, providing convenient microscopic study of cell morphology and enabling fluorescence indicator measurement using microscopes or plate readers. Transparency further provides optimum optical accessibility for monitoring growth and quantitative measurement using fluorescence and luminescence indicators.

• The MC-8™ is convenient tool for growing ET constructs without a

support layer, and a reliable method for growing contractile cells in 3D constructs suitable for measurement of contractile force or tissue stiffness using the Palpator™

• MC-8™ allows for long-term (several weeks) 3D culture of contractile cells

• Miniaturized tissue constructs require just 250 ul of initial collagen/cell suspension and 400 ul of culture medium per well

• Dimensions of the MC-8™ are compatible with most conventional plate readers (we provide customized set-up assistance)

Video (see right): 24hr time lapse tissue formation

IVS Inserts Technical Specifications

IVS Inserts allow the growth of 3D tissue constructs in a standard 8-well chambered coverglass. Suspended tissues form across the support bars allowing measurement of mechanical contractility and stiffness using the Palpator tissue mechanics analyzer. Tissues in culture can be read on plate readers and observed under a microscope through the coverglass bottom. The removable tissues can also be used in tissue construct implantation studies.

The Tissue Stretcher stimulates cells grown in hydrogel tissue constructs through repetitive mechanical strain. Tissues, stretched up to 40% by a pulsing motion, mimic the physical conditions for cardiac tissue, but can be adjusted for different stroke length and speed, as well as altogether different applications. The stretcher platform has the ability to stretch up to 32 separate tissues, utilizing special 3D suspended culture wells via the MC-8™. Together with the Palpator™, these two products can produce the mechanical stimulation and measurement data needed for future drug discovery and regenerative medicine.

3D Tissue Fabrication Kit Applications

Traditional techniques used to study tissue physiology are labor intensive and not readily amendable to high-throughput experimenttation. Our simplified process for fabricating 3D tissue constructs addresses these limitations and furthermore enables the use of cell-based fluorometric and colorimetric assays to quantify cellular and tissue physiology and mechanical properties (contractility and stiffness).