Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Biocompatibility test procedures for materials evaluation in vitro. I. Comparative test system sensitivity.

H J Johnson, S J Northup, P A Seagraves

    Journal of Biomedical Materials Research
    |July 1, 1983
    PubMed
    Summary

    This study compared different in vitro methods for testing how materials interact with living cells. Researchers tested 20 materials with 12 cell lines using four culture methods. They found that measuring cell growth in serum-fortified media extracts was more sensitive than direct material exposure. Four cell lines and two methods stood out for their reliability and agreement with in vivo results. The study showed that in vitro systems can be a useful tool for predicting material biocompatibility without relying on animal testing.

    Related Concept Videos

    You might also read

    Related Articles

    Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

    Sort by
    Same author

    Westminster Medical Society.

    Provincial medical & surgical journal·2011
    Same author

    Westminster Medical Society: Paralysis of the Portio Dura.

    Provincial medical & surgical journal·2011
    Same author

    Westminster Medical Society: Phlegmasia Dolens.

    Provincial medical & surgical journal·2011
    Same author

    Voriconazole pharmacokinetics in liver transplant recipients.

    Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy·2009
    Same author

    Modified citrus pectin (MCP) increases the prostate-specific antigen doubling time in men with prostate cancer: a phase II pilot study.

    Prostate cancer and prostatic diseases·2003
    Same author

    Retrospective evaluation of intersubject brain registration.

    IEEE transactions on medical imaging·2003

    Area of Science:

    • Biocompatibility testing in biomedical materials
    • Cell culture techniques in toxicology

    Background:

    Current methods for assessing biocompatibility rely on both in vitro and in vivo approaches. While in vitro systems offer advantages in speed and cost, their sensitivity and reliability remain debated. Prior research has shown that in vitro models can detect toxic effects, but the variability in responses across cell lines and culture methods complicates interpretation. This gap motivated a study comparing standardized in vitro systems with in vivo implantation data. Existing knowledge includes the use of colony counts and growth inhibition as indicators of toxicity. However, no prior work had resolved how different culture methods and cell lines influence sensitivity and reproducibility. This study aimed to address that uncertainty by evaluating multiple cell lines and culture techniques. The goal was to identify optimal in vitro models for material screening. The findings could refine how biocompatibility is assessed before clinical use.

    Purpose Of The Study:

    The study aimed to compare the sensitivity of various in vitro biocompatibility test systems. Researchers focused on identifying which cell lines and culture methods best detect material toxicity. The specific problem addressed was the lack of consensus on optimal in vitro models for material screening. By testing multiple cell lines and culture methods, the authors sought to determine which combinations provided the most reliable results. The motivation stemmed from the need for reproducible and sensitive in vitro methods to complement in vivo testing. The study also aimed to assess grader agreement and reproducibility across methods. By comparing in vitro results with in vivo implantation data, the authors aimed to validate the usefulness of in vitro systems. The ultimate goal was to guide the selection of optimal test systems for biocompatibility evaluation.

    Keywords:
    Biocompatibility testingIn vitro methodsCell culture toxicityMaterial screening

    Frequently Asked Questions

    The study found that measuring cellular growth in serum-fortified media extracts was more sensitive than direct material exposure in cell cultures.

    Four of the 12 cell lines and two of the four test methods showed the highest sensitivity and reproducibility for screening materials.

    Serum-fortified media extracts provided better discrimination of material toxicity and higher sensitivity compared to direct exposure methods.

    Each cell line-material combination was tested in duplicate, and results were evaluated by two independent graders.

    Related Experiment Videos

    Main Methods:

    Twelve standardized cell lines were exposed to 20 materials with varying toxicity levels. Each cell line-material combination was tested in duplicate using four distinct culture methods. The first method involved measuring cellular growth in serum-fortified media extracts of test samples. The second method used direct placement of materials into cell cultures to observe growth inhibition. Two independent graders evaluated each culture plate to assess reproducibility. The in vitro results were then compared with data from a 5-day rabbit intramuscular implant assay for the same materials. No antibiotics were included in the testing protocol. The study focused on colony counts, percent confluence, and zone of growth inhibition as key metrics. The goal was to identify which methods and cell lines provided the most consistent and sensitive results.

    Main Results:

    Cellular growth measurements in serum-fortified media extracts proved more sensitive than direct material placement in cultures. Four of the 12 cell lines showed consistently high sensitivity and reproducibility. Two of the four culture methods were found to be most effective for material screening. Grader agreement was strong across all test methods, indicating reliable interpretation. The most effective cell lines and culture methods achieved 60–90% agreement with in vivo implantation results. Colony counts and percent confluence were more informative than zone of growth inhibition. The study found no significant impact of antibiotics on results since they were not used. These findings suggest that selected in vitro systems can reliably predict in vivo biocompatibility outcomes.

    Conclusions:

    The study demonstrated that in vitro systems can effectively detect material toxicity when optimized. Selected cell lines and culture methods showed high sensitivity and reproducibility. Serum-fortified media extracts provided better discrimination than direct material exposure. Grader agreement and reproducibility were consistent across methods. The top-performing cell lines and methods aligned with 60–90% of in vivo implantation results. These findings suggest that optimized in vitro systems can serve as reliable screening tools. The authors propose that these methods may complement traditional in vivo testing. The results indicate that further refinement of in vitro models could reduce reliance on animal testing.

    The top-performing cell lines and methods showed 60–90% agreement with in vivo implantation test results.

    The study found no significant impact of antibiotics since they were not used in the testing protocol.