This is not your average approach to 3D bioprinting.
We’re not chasing pipe dreams about printed organs. Our core technology in digital bioprinting is built for fast, scalable and reproducible printing of 3D cell constructs that you can trust.
Introduction
There’s been a lot of hype about 3D bioprinting. The field exploded based on readily available extrusion printing technology and was soon promising printed hearts on demand.
We’re realists. We’ve spent years perfecting technology in Digital Bioprinting, which is the best approach to fast and reliable 3D cell culture models.
Printing small droplets...
At the core of Digital Bioprinting is our ability to print tiny droplets of cells and matrix components in a way that is very fast, very precise and gentle on cells. Check out this application note for more detail on droplet control.
that gel instantly...
We’ve developed bioink formulations that gel instantly on the combination of two separate droplets. In this way, cells are embedded in tunable matrix environments in a highly controllable way, without relying on light or temperature-induced gelation. Learn more about the importance of the printable matrix here.
to build 3D cell models…
By combining multiple matrix building blocks, with or without embedded cells, or cell suspensions alone, 3D cell models are built layer-by-layer. This exquisite control over cell and matrix environments enables 3D cell models not possible via manual methods.
efficiently and reproducibly.
Whatever the cell model, our Digital Bioprinting technology enables unprecedented speed and reproducibility well-to-well, day-to-day and site-to-site. They can be produced quickly and reproducibly.
We’ve now mastered the art of Digital Bioprinting, and this core technology powers our RASTRUM™ 3D cell biology platform.
The matrix
Choosing a suitable extracellular matrix mimic is critical to the success of any 3D cell culture model. Given the many roles of matrix in guiding cellular behaviour and response, no one matrix can suit all applications.
RASTRUM™ Matrices are tuned to each cell type and research question by modifying:
Stiffness
Tunable stiffness to provide a physiologically relevant environment
Adhesion peptides
Including the core peptide sequences that mediate integrin binding (i.e. RGD, IKVAV, YIGSR)
Full-length proteins
Enriched in natural extracellular matrices (i.e. laminin and collagen)
MMP-sensitive sites
To enable cleavage of the matrix by cell-secreted proteases
No matter the formulation, RASTRUM™ Matrices provide several benefits over other systems:
No batch-to-batch variation
Printable with instant gelation at room temperature
Permeable to antibodies, growth factors and small molecules
Fully transparent with no auto-fluorescence
Dissolvable to enable cell extraction