Open AccessMini chamber system for long-term maintenance and observation of cultured cells
Author(s) -
ChaoChi Ho,
Tun Yi Mou,
Pei Shuan Chiang,
Chu Li Weng,
Nan Haw Chow
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
biotechniques/biotechniques
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.617
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1940-9818
pISSN - 0736-6205
DOI - 10.2144/05382rr03
Subject(s) - term (time) , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , physics , quantum mechanics
We constructed a mini chamber system that was able to maintain cell culture on a microscope for long periods. It is a modified closed system with medium perfusion and CO 2 circulation. The closed CO 2 circulation and ample air inside the chamber distinguish it from other closed systems. Using different cell lines, the system was shown to be able to support long-term, time-lapse recording. After 229 hours of time-lapse recording, A2058 cells (a melanoma cell line) became overconfluent but still multiplied. Many CAD cells (a murine neuron-like cell line) still moved their cell bodies and kept their neurite-like processes after 28 days of recording. The entire healing process of a scratch-wounded T24 (a bladder cancer cell line) monolayer can be monitored. Such a modified closed system should find many applications in developmental biology, cell biology, and cancer biology where long-term, time-lapse recording is required or when the health of cells is important.