[MINUSHEET - A new method for "natural" culture conditions of epithelia in vitro]

The value of cultured cells in biotechnical, pharmaceutical or cell biological research depends on the degree of terminal cell differentiation. In conventional Petridishes or tissue culture plates it is difficult to achieve culture conditions which resemble the in situ situation of intact tissue, as regards optimal cell adhesion, exchange of nutrients and metabolic products. The limitations of conventional culture technique prompted us to develop procedures and equipment which optimize the in vitro environment of cultured cells. The advantages are: 1. Anchorage-dependent cells can be kept on individual and interchangeable support materials for optimal cell attachment, 2. a defined nutrient concentration can be maintained by continuous culture medium perfusion, 3. MINUSHEET allows perfusion with different media at the apical and basal side of the cultures, thus mimicking the natural environment of epithelial cells, 4. all parts of the system are re-usable.