Tissue Culture Wounding Experiments

Many of our customers have used our pin tools to "wound" tissue culture mono-layers.  They initially used our VP 408FH, VP 384FH or our robot pin tools converted to manual use with the BMPM-PAD and a special  wounding Library Copier (VP 381NW, VP 381NW4.5 or VP 381NW5) to make the wounds.   For most applications these give good results however some customers who were using computerized image analysis programs needed the wounds to be more precisely localized.  For these customers we have produced specialized pin tools that have very tight hole tolerances so the wounds are precisely and consistently located in the same position in each well.  These are the "W" or wounding series pin tools illustrated and featured on this page.

Wounding Dimensions in Microplates

VP 381NW4.5 and VP 381NW5 with FP and FP6 pins.
 

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

  Wounding Replicators

     24 Well Format

AFIX24FP6W

The AFIX24FP6W was designed to be used in tissue culture "wounding" experiments where a monolayer of tissue culture cells was grown in a 24 well microplate and a V&P floating pin replicator was used to create a precise and reproducible wounding pattern in all the mono-layers. The scientists could then apply different treatments to each well and gauge how effective they were.  The pins on this replicator are on an 18 mm center to center spacing. 

In addition to the AFIX24FP6W floating frame you need to order the BGPK-E Kit, either 24 FP or 24 FP6 pins and the BMPM-PAD to obtain a complete replicator.  For large (1.58 mm wide) wounds choose the FP6 pins.  For smaller (0.38 mm wide) wounds choose the FP pins.

The AFIX24FP6W is made with slightly smaller (1.61 mm) diameter holes in the float plate than the AFFIX24FP6 so the pins will not "wobble" when wounding the mono-layer.

     48 Well Format

AFIX48FP6W

The AFIX48FP6W was designed to be used in tissue culture "wounding" experiments where a monolayer of tissue culture cells was grown in a 48 well microplate and a V&P floating pin replicator was used to create a precise and reproducible wounding pattern in all the mono-layers. The scientists could then apply different treatments to each well and gauge how effective they were.  The pins on this replicator are on an 13.5 mm center to center spacing. 

In addition to the AFIX48FP6W floating frame you need to order the BGPK-E Kit, either 48 FP or 48 FP6 pins and the BMPM-PAD to obtain a complete replicator.  For large (1.58 mm wide) wounds choose the FP6 pins.  For smaller (0.38 mm wide) wounds choose the FP pins.

The AFIX48FP6W is made with slightly smaller (1.61 mm) diameter holes in the float plate than the AFFIX48FP6 so the pins will not "wobble" when wounding the mono-layer.

     96 Well Format

AFIX96FP6W

The AFIX96FP6W was designed to be used in tissue culture "wounding" experiments where a monolayer of tissue culture cells was grown in a 96 well microplate and a V&P floating pin replicator was used to create a precise and reproducible wounding pattern in all the mono-layers. The scientists could then apply different treatments to each well and gauge how effective they were.  The pins on this replicator are on an 9 mm center to center spacing. 

In addition to the AFIX48FP6W floating frame you need to order the BGPK-E Kit, either 96 FP or 96 FP6 pins and the BMPM-PAD to obtain a complete replicator.  For large (1.58 mm wide) wounds choose the FP6 pins.  For smaller (0.38 mm wide) wounds choose the FP pins.

The AFIX96FP6W is made with slightly smaller (1.61 mm) diameter holes in the float plate than the AFFIX96FP6 so the pins will not "wobble" when wounding the mono-layer.

     384 Well Format

AFIX384FP6W

The AFIX384FP6W was designed to be used in tissue culture "wounding" experiments where a monolayer of tissue culture cells was grown in a 384 well microplate and a V&P floating pin replicator was used to create a precise and reproducible wounding pattern in all the mono-layers. The scientists could then apply different treatments to each well and gauge how effective they were.  The pins on this replicator are on an 4.5 mm center to center spacing. 

In addition to the AFIX48FP6W floating frame you need to order the BGPK-E Kit, either 384 FP or 384 FP6 pins and the BMPM-PAD to obtain a complete replicator.  For large (1.58 mm wide) wounds choose the FP6 pins.  For smaller (0.38 mm wide) wounds choose the FP pins.

The AFIX384FP6W is made with slightly smaller (1.61 mm) diameter holes in the float plate than the AFFIX384FP6 so the pins will not "wobble" when wounding the mono-layer.

  Library Copiers

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 the mono-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 381NW5

The VP 381NW5 is the same as the VP 381NW and VP 381NW4.5 except for having longer ovals (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.