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Hirsch C, Schildknecht S. In Vitro Research Reproducibility: Keeping Up High Standards. Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:1484. [PMID: 31920667 PMCID: PMC6916005 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.01484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Concern regarding the reproducibility of observations in life science research has emerged in recent years, particularly in view of unfavorable experiences with preclinical in vivo research. The use of cell-based systems has increasingly replaced in vivo research and the application of in vitro models enjoys an ever-growing popularity. To avoid repeating past mistakes, high standards of reproducibility and reliability must be established and maintained in the field of in vitro biomedical research. Detailed guidance documenting the appropriate handling of cells has been authored, but was received with quite disparate perception by different branches in biomedical research. In that regard, we intend to raise awareness of the reproducibility issue among scientists in all branches of contemporary life science research and their individual responsibility in this matter. We have herein compiled a selection of the most susceptible steps of everyday in vitro cell culture routines that have the potential to influence cell quality and recommend practices to minimize the likelihood of poor cell quality impairing reproducibility with modest investment of time and resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cordula Hirsch
- Particles-Biology Interactions Laboratory, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa), St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Schildknecht
- In vitro Toxicology and Biomedicine, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
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Battiston KG, Cheung JWC, Jain D, Santerre JP. Biomaterials in co-culture systems: towards optimizing tissue integration and cell signaling within scaffolds. Biomaterials 2014; 35:4465-76. [PMID: 24602569 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2014.02.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2014] [Accepted: 02/12/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Most natural tissues consist of multi-cellular systems made up of two or more cell types. However, some of these tissues may not regenerate themselves following tissue injury or disease without some form of intervention, such as from the use of tissue engineered constructs. Recent studies have increasingly used co-cultures in tissue engineering applications as these systems better model the natural tissues, both physically and biologically. This review aims to identify the challenges of using co-culture systems and to highlight different approaches with respect to the use of biomaterials in the use of such systems. The application of co-culture systems to stimulate a desired biological response and examples of studies within particular tissue engineering disciplines are summarized. A description of different analytical co-culture systems is also discussed and the role of biomaterials in the future of co-culture research are elaborated on. Understanding the complex cell-cell and cell-biomaterial interactions involved in co-culture systems will ultimately lead the field towards biomaterial concepts and designs with specific biochemical, electrical, and mechanical characteristics that are tailored towards the needs of distinct co-culture systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle G Battiston
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 124 Edward Street, Room 461, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1G6
| | - Jane W C Cheung
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 124 Edward Street, Room 461, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1G6
| | - Devika Jain
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 124 Edward Street, Room 461, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1G6
| | - J Paul Santerre
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 124 Edward Street, Room 461, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1G6; Department of Biomaterials, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, 124 Edward Street, Room 464D, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1G6.
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Why the dish makes a difference: quantitative comparison of polystyrene culture surfaces. Acta Biomater 2013; 9:7354-61. [PMID: 23454055 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2013.02.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2012] [Revised: 01/31/2013] [Accepted: 02/20/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
There is wide anecdotal recognition that biological cell viability and behavior can vary significantly as a function of the source of commercial tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS) culture vessels to which those cells adhere. However, this marked material dependency is typically resolved by selecting and then consistently using the same manufacturer's product - following protocol - rather than by investigating the material properties that may be responsible for such experimental variation. Here, we quantified several physical properties of TCPS surfaces obtained from a wide range of commercial sources and processing steps, through the use of atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based imaging and analysis, goniometry and protein adsorption quantification. We identify qualitative differences in surface features, as well as quantitative differences in surface roughness and wettability that cannot be attributed solely to differences in surface chemistry. We also find significant differences in cell morphology and proliferation among cells cultured on different TCPS surfaces, and resolve a correlation between nanoscale surface roughness and cell proliferation rate for both cell types considered. Interestingly, AFM images of living adherent cells on these nanotextured surfaces demonstrate direct interactions between cellular protrusions and topographically distinct features. These results illustrate and quantify the significant differences in material surface properties among these ubiquitous materials, allowing us to better understand why the dish can make a difference in biological experiments.
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Olivieri A, Degenhardt OS, McDonald GR, Narang D, Paulsen IM, Kozuska JL, Holt A. On the disruption of biochemical and biological assays by chemicals leaching from disposable laboratory plasticware. Can J Physiol Pharmacol 2012; 90:697-703. [DOI: 10.1139/y2012-049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Plastic consumables, used universally in bioscience laboratories, are presumed inert with respect to bioassay outcomes. However, it is clear that many pipette tips, microfuge tubes, and other plastic disposables leach bioactive compounds into assay solutions, profoundly affecting data and experimental interpretation. In this paper we discuss the nature and sources of leachates and review several examples of compromised bioassay data that speak to the probable widespread nature of this largely unrecognised source of error. Strategies for minimizing leachate interferences are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aldo Olivieri
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, 9-70 Medical Sciences Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - Owen S. Degenhardt
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, 9-70 Medical Sciences Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - G. Reid McDonald
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, 9-70 Medical Sciences Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - Deepak Narang
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, 9-70 Medical Sciences Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - Isabelle M. Paulsen
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, 9-70 Medical Sciences Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - Janna L. Kozuska
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, 9-70 Medical Sciences Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - Andrew Holt
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, 9-70 Medical Sciences Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H7, Canada
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Battiston KG, McBane JE, Labow RS, Paul Santerre J. Differences in protein binding and cytokine release from monocytes on commercially sourced tissue culture polystyrene. Acta Biomater 2012; 8:89-98. [PMID: 21963405 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2011.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2011] [Revised: 09/14/2011] [Accepted: 09/14/2011] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS) is a ubiquitous substrate used by many researchers in the biomedical and biological sciences. Different parameters involved in the production of TCPS, including the treatment time and the use of reactive gases and chemical agents, can have a significant influence on the ultimate surface properties achieved. The assumption that they will all yield a consistent and controlled product has not proven to be true. To provide a better insight into the bioactivity differences in TCPS supplied by different manufacturers, TCPS from three different companies (Sarstedt, Wisent Corp., and Becton Dickinson (BD)) were analyzed for their surface properties, protein adsorption characteristics, and interactions with human monocytes. Marked differences were observed in terms of surface wettability and surface chemistry. Furthermore, Wisent TCPS adsorbed more than twice the amount of serum proteins compared with BD and Sarstedt TCPS. Sarstedt showed significantly more cell retention (more DNA) compared with both BD and Wisent TCPS brands over a 7 day culture period. Cytokine release from monocytes adherent on the three different TCPS also differed significantly, suggesting that the differences in the surface properties were sufficient to differentially mediate monocyte activation. These results have important implications for TCPS research use, in terms of appreciating the interpretation of the data when TCPS is used as a control substrate as well as when it is used where a pre-conditioned state would influence the outcome of the study.
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Bunkenborg J, García GE, Paz MIP, Andersen JS, Molina H. The minotaur proteome: avoiding cross-species identifications deriving from bovine serum in cell culture models. Proteomics 2010; 10:3040-4. [PMID: 20641139 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.201000103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Cell culture is a fundamental tool in proteomics where mammalian cells are cultured in vitro using a growth medium often supplemented with 5-15% FBS. Contamination by bovine proteins is difficult to avoid because of adherence to the plastic vessel and the cultured cells. We have generated peptides from bovine serum using four sample preparation methods and analyzed the peptides by high mass accuracy LC-MS/MS. Distinguishing between bovine and human peptides is difficult because of a considerable overlap of identical tryptic peptide sequences. Pitfalls in interpretation, different database search strategies to minimize erroneous identifications and an augmented contaminant database are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Bunkenborg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark
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Tang C, Yu J, Yin L, Yin C, Pei Y. Transport of Insulin in Modified Valia-Chien Chambers and Caco-2 Cell Monolayers. Drug Dev Ind Pharm 2008; 33:449-56. [PMID: 17523009 DOI: 10.1080/03639040601011231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The transport characteristics of insulin were investigated using two different absorption models. Using the modified Valia-Chien chambers, permeability coefficients of insulin in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum were 0.71x10(-7), 7.11x10(-7) and 9.45x10(-7) cm/s, respectively. In the Caco-2 cell monolayers, the bidirectional transepithelial fluxes of insulin across Caco-2 cell line showed symmetry. Confocal laser scanning microscopy visualized that FD-4 and FITC-insulin were mainly located in the paracellular route. It is evident that the lower intestine might be an advantageous region, and absorption enhancer that helps open tight junctions between cells should be used for oral delivery of insulin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cui Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
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