New Automated Cell Culture and Maintenance System for Stem Cell Research

TAP Biosystems, (the new corporate identity of The Automation Partnership), a leading supplier of innovative automation and consumables for life science applications, today announced it will be introducing the CompacT SC™, an automated T-flask cell culture system designed to fully control expansion, differentiation and maintenance of stem cells on Stand 427 at this years’ ISSCR (International Society for Stem Cell Research) Meeting on June 15-18.

The new CompacT SC, which can be used to aseptically culture multiple different stem cell lines in parallel using T75 and T175 flasks, has a number of features which makes controlling the growth and differentiation of stem cells an easy, convenient task. The system includes automated cell imaging and analysis, allowing scientists to programme the CompacT SC to monitor cell morphology and growth curves. It also permits researchers to set the system to respond to any pre-programmed changes by automatically passaging cells and adding new media, reagents or vectors at appropriate times. This means scientists can consistently maintain cell lines in the state they need them, either as pluripotent cells or during cell differentiation and transfection. Processes can be performed at any time of the day or night, without researchers having to be in the laboratory.

The CompacT SC also comes with a Low Volume Reagent Dispensing Option and an Incubator Oxygen Control Option. These enable scientists to achieve optimal conditions for their stem cells by automatically setting the system to pipette chilled growth factors or transfection reagents at low volumes, as well as provide reduced oxygen levels to mimic in tissue conditions.

For scientists that want the flexibility to maintain cells in six well and 24 well plate formats, there is also an Advanced Plating Module, which can be easily integrated into the CompacT SC. This approach saves researchers’ time by automating plate-based applications requiring labour intensive feeding regimes.