Integrated Mesenchymal Cell Culture (Fibroblast)

Traditional fibroblast media utilise 10% serum combined with very simple basal media formulations. The CELLnTEC Fibroblast Proliferation Medium (CnT-PR-F) uses an advanced basal medium formulation and mix of defined growth factors to reduce the serum requirement down to 1%. As a result, CnT-PR-F significantly increases isolation efficiency (50%) and growth rate (+40%), whilst reducing serum-associated variability.

Cells undergoing rapid proliferation are less responsive to differentiation and ECM-related triggers. To obtain fully in-vivo like ECM production, we offer the new fully defined CnT-Prime ECM (CnT-PR-ECM) medium with a less proliferative formulation. This specialised formulation delivers up to 5x higher ECM levels compared with the proliferation medium CnT-PR-F.

CnT-Prime ECM is a fully defined medium that triggers high ECM production by fibroblasts isolated from a range of tissues. CnT-PR-ECM enables cells to produce in-vivo like quantities of ECM as a result of its altered growth factor mix (which shifts the focus away from strong proliferation), and the presence of vitamin C.

Cells growing in media designed for rapid proliferation or high ECM production are subject to a strong set of stimuli from the culture medium. This can significantly reduce the responsiveness of cells to experimental stimuli. For maximum responsiveness in your assays, we recommend the use of the CnT-Prime Fibroblast Homeostasis medium.

CnT-Prime Fibroblast Homeostasis Medium (CnT-PR-FH) is designed for maintenance of primary human dermal fibroblasts in a homeostatic state with only minimal growth factor stimuli, sufficient to maintain their function for up to a week in culture. It is a fully defined medium.

In the absence of the strong growth factor stimulation found in standard proliferation media, fibroblasts growing in CnT-PR-FH show heighted responsiveness to experimental stimuli.

2D Keratinocyte / Fibroblast Co-Culture - Standard proliferation media do not deliver well balanced growth of 2 or more cell types in co-culture. CELLnTEC's CnT-Prime 2D Co-Culture (CnT-PR-CC) co-culture omits the fibroblast inhibitory elements found in keratinocyte media, whilst in parallel providing an environment that also encourages moderate fibroblast growth in balance with the keratinocytes in regular 2D culture.

3D Co-Culture: Full Thickness Skin Models - With CELLnTEC novel high-ECM culture media, it is now possible to establish full thickness skin models without the use of collagen gels. It is simpler, faster, and more reproducible. CnT-Prime Airlift Medium (CNT-PR-FTAL5) is used during the air-lift phase of full thickness skin model establishment. It also allows full thickness models to be established simply and reliably without the need for the complication of collagen gels.

Primary human dermal fibroblasts (HDF) isolated in CnT-PR-F medium benefit from the presence of additional factors and an improved basal medium with more trace elements and protective vitamins. HDF fibroblasts are isolated from the complete dermal layer, and thus include a full range of cell phenotypes.

Fibroblasts are available from two main donor types:

• HDFp: Pooled Donors
• HDFs: Single Donor