Tissue Culture Wounding Experiments

Wounding Dimensions in Microplates

VP 381NW4.5 with VP 408FH and VP 408FP6.
 

This is how the Small Molecule Screening Facility at Keck-UWCCC does their quantitative wound healing assay using VP 408FH.
http://www.hts.wisc.edu/Resources.htm#wh

BMPM-PAD

24 well format

48 well format

96 well format

384 well format

VP 381NW

The VP 381NW LIBRARY COPIER was designed to be used in tissue culture "wounding" experiments where a monolayer of tissue culture cells was grown in a 96 or 384 well microplate and a V&P floating pin replicator was used to create a precise and reproducible wounding pattern in all themono-layers.  We modified a VP 381N into a VP 381NW by making it with 2 oval alignment holes (1.58 mm by 2.58 mm) so the 2 guide pins could be moved in a race track movement and the replicator pins would damage the monolayer in a precise and reproducible manner.  . The scientists could then apply different treatments to each well and gauge how effective they were.    A variety of different pin diameters on our Replicators allows for different patterns of damage.

The photo to the right illustrates an oval alignment hole.

The first scientist to use wounding monolayers with one of our floating pin tools was Justin C. Yarrow at Harvard.  In Dr. Yarrow's experiments he used one of our 384 pin tools and did the wounding "free hand".   The VP 381NW is an improvement over the free hand technique.
 

VP 381NW4.5

The VP 381NW4.5 is the same as the VP 381NW except for having longer ovals (4.5 mm) which allows for longer wounding pattern if desired.
 

VP 381W-24

Another group wanted to see if the number of cells in a monolayer would affect the wound healing so we made another Library copier that would fit over 24 well microplates.  The 24 well microplates are taller than 96 and 384 well plates so they required a custom Library Copier to accommodate them, the VP 381W-24.  The oval pattern dimensions are the same (1.58 mm by 2.58 mm) but in a vertical orientation.

This experiment also required the construction of a new 24 floating pin Replicator with FP6 pins (AFIX24FP6).  Note the red foamed Silicone rubber pad used to keep the pins touching the bottom of the plate.