Permeable Collagen Membrane has been used to coculture cancer cells and vascular endothelial cells, cancer cells and fibroblasts, or cardiomyocytes and mesenchymal stem cells.
They have also been used to culture corneal endothelial cells for downstream transplant into rabbit cornea. Additional examples of culture with other cell types are available (see list of publications on product page for details).

Please visit our distributors’ page to download an instruction manual

The membrane is made from atelocollagen acidic solution and neutralization is necessary prior to cell culture.

Use a cell scraper to harvest cells. We have confirmed that the membrane will not degrade upon treatment with lysis buffers contained in nucleic acid extraction kits.

Similar to tissue samples, Atelocollagen membrane can be fixed and/or embedded in paraffin/OCT compound.

Cells can be observed using a phase-contrast microscope. We recommend labelling cells beforehand so that you can easily identify cells seeded on each side of the membrane.

The same membrane is used for all three products but the shapes and sizes of the plastic frames holding the membrane are different. We also have Atelocollagen membrane without a plastic frame.

Usually a cell culture insert is made from synthetic resin while Atelocollagen membrane is made from 100% collagen. The membrane does not have definitive pores and cells cannot penetrate to the other side of the membrane, yet the membrane is permeable to small molecules. This is why cells can be harvested separately from each side of the membrane following co-culture. The membrane is biodegradable and suitable for cell transplantation.

If the transplantation site can be incised, transplanting an atelocollagen product (sponge or membrane) with cells added is possible.
Atelocollagen products:
Collagen Sponge Honeycomb/Honeycomb Disk 96
Collagen Sponge Mighty
Atelocollagen Permeable Membrane

If the site cannot be incised, cells can be mixed with a high concentration of atelocollagen solution and administered locally so that the collagen forms a gel and cells can be transplanted to the injection site.
Product to prepare a highly concentrated atelocollagen solution:
Atelocollagen powder

Please contact us as we may be able to produce a custom-made product upon your request. You can also cut the membrane into smaller pieces with a sharp knife such as a surgical scalpel.