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Variability of the cellular microenvironment is a major issue affecting the physiological relevance of cell culture.
Factors contributing to this variability include: organ specific stromal cells, growth factors,
proteoglycan
& protein composition, and stiffness or tensile strength of the BME. It's interesting in
light of this variability that for the past 25 years the scientific community has been forced to use just one commercial ECM matrix formulation for cell attachment. As a result we've developed two additional
formulations of Cultrex Basement Membane Extract (BME) as part of our growing range of technologies for
physiologically relevant
cell growth and behaviour:
Now you can choose between
Organoid Growth and Xenograft models
Technology Highlight: Cultural Enrichment: Directing Cell Activities by Controlling Their Microenvironment
Cultrex BME Selection Chart
|
Name |
Buffer |
Tensile Strength |
Concentration |
Applications |
Cultrex® BME 1, PathClear® |
DMEM |
MEDIUM |
14-17 mg/ml |
Xenograft / tumorgraft 2D cell culture 3D spheroids / organoid stem cell |
Cultrex® BME 2, PathClear® |
DMEM |
HIGH |
14-17 mg/ml |
Reduced Growth Factor format optimized for Organoid Growth |
Cultrex® BME 3, PathClear® |
RPMI1640 |
HIGH |
14-17 mg/ml |
Optimised for Xenograft / Tumorgraft
|

Figure 1: Mammary cancer organoid from mice, grown on / invading into BME 2,
Reduced Growth Factor.
Image courtesy of Tuula Kallunki, Danish Cancer Research Society
Figure 2: Human Colorectal Cancer (CRC) tumor organoids, grown from single cells on BME 2,
Reduced Growth Factor.
Images courtesy of the Batlle lab, IRB Barcelona
Basement membranes are sheets of extracellular matrix that form an interface between endothelial, epithelial, muscle, or neuronal cells and adjacent stroma. Basement membranes are degraded and regenerated during development and
wound repair. They not only support cells and cell layers, but also play an essential role in tissue organization that affects cell
adhesion, migration, proliferation, and differentiation. Basement membranes provide major barriers to
invasion by metastatic tumor cells. Cultrex® Basement Membrane Extract (BME) is a soluble form of basement membrane, purified from Engelbreth-Holm-Swarm (EHS) tumors, which gels at 37oC. Major components include laminin, collagen IV,
entactin and heparin sulfate proteoglycan. BME can be used for growth promotion or for differentiation of precursor cells, under a variety of cell culture conditions. BME has also been employed in cell attachment, neurite outgrowth,
angiogenesis assays,
in vitro cell invasion and in vivo tumorigenicity assays.
Extensive Pathogen / Sterility Testing:
The PathClear® designation for EHS
derived material means that in addition to standard sterility, endotoxin and MAP testing, the basement membrane extract (BME) is tested by PCR and is clear of
31 pathogens and viruses, including lactate dehydrogenase elevating virus (LDEV), which replicates in macrophages. Each lot is
rigorously qualified in biological performance assays. PathClear® BME is ideal for in vivo murine research work and other work requiring BME free from viruses, bacteria and mycoplasma.
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