Cell Culture Plate Surfaces: How to Choose a Surface to Help Cells and Experiments Thrive

Whether you are growing adherent cells or 3D organoids, cultured cells need an environment that supports their healthy growth and function. Cell culture plate surfaces are a key aspect of the environment that can make the difference between success and failure.

Surface selection, though, isn't always straightforward. Different cell types require different surfaces, and special considerations apply if you are culturing stem cells, 3D models, or therapeutic products. This guide will help you ask the right questions and choose the right surface for your l

In the body, cells grow in contact with an extracellular matrix (ECM) consisting of various proteins and other bioactive molecules, and they interact with attachment motifs and sites on various ECM proteins. In a cell culture dish, surfaces can help scientists mimic in vivo environments to help cells grow and thrive.

Depending on the choice of surface, the functions of a cell culture environment include enhancing cell attachment, providing biological signals, and providing scaffolding for the growth of 3D cultures.

Cell culture surfaces break down into three main categories: natural coatings, mimetic coatings, and enhanced tissue culture surfaces.

Natural coatings include ECMs and biologically coated surfaces. Corning^® Matrigel^® Matrix, used as a cell culture surface coating for over 35 years, is rich in extracellular matrix proteins, such as laminin and collagen, as well as growth factors. Other natural options include individual ECM components like collagen, laminin, or fibronectin.

Natural cell culture plate coatings have many benefits, including a high ability to mimic the in vivo environments for 2D and 3D cultures, a long history of use, a rich depth of published research studies, and an ability to support a wide variety of cell types.

Mimetic coatings, also called synthetic coatings, are synthetic peptides that mimic ECM proteins to provide cells with key attachment motifs. Synthetic coatings, like natural coatings, can promote the attachment and growth of fastidious cell types that require an ECM. For example, the Corning Synthemax^® vitronectin substrate surface can support expansion or directed differentiation of stem cells. Corning rLaminin-521 surface is a recombinant, full-length laminin that can support pluripotent stem cell culture.

One of the benefits of mimetic coatings is that these coatings are fully defined and standardized. This means you know what is in each batch, and there is high consistency between batches. Some labs value these options because manufacturers do not derive them from animals.

Manufacturers chemically modify enhanced tissue culture surfaces with negatively and/or positively charged functional groups to promote better cell attachment and growth under certain circumstances. Corning CellBIND^® surfaces include negatively charged functional groups that enable better cell attachment and spreading under challenging conditions.

Corning PureCoat™ amine and carboxyl surfaces can assist with cell attachment, proliferation, and freeze-thaw recovery when cells are grown in serum-free or serum-reduced conditions.

Corning cell culture surfaces are available as precoated cultureware or as coatings to apply in your lab. To determine which surfaces best apply to your research, start with a focused look at your objectives, then ask yourself a series of questions:

Investigate what surfaces other researchers use for culturing your cell type of interest. For example, researchers typically culture neurons on laminin-containing surfaces, while they often culture hepatocytes on collagen coatings. Fastidious cell types, like most stem cells and primary cultures, tend to do better on Matrigel matrix or other natural cell surface coatings. Because Matrigel matrix can support the growth of a wide range of cells, it is often a good starting point.

Consider how the downstream steps necessary for your experiments will affect the cells. For example, certain assays require rigorous washing. Loose-adhering cells can wash away during culture. In this case, an enhanced surface may provide better attachment.

Natural coatings exhibit variability between batches due to their natural source, and complex ECMs, such as Matrigel matrix, contain a wide array of bioactive molecules. If your experiments have low tolerance for variability or biological interference, defined synthetic or enhanced tissue culture surfaces may be a better choice.

If you have experienced poor cell growth, weak attachment, or unwanted differentiation in previous experiments, consider trying a different surface to troubleshoot these issues.

In addition to the above considerations, some cell types and project types have special requirements. Consider the following factors if you are working with stem cells, 3D cultures, or therapeutic products.

Most types of stem cells, such as induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), require an ECM for proper growth and to avoid unwanted differentiation. On the other hand, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) may be able to grow on Corning CellBIND cell culture surfaces without an ECM coating, depending on the media.

3D organoid cultures are most commonly grown by embedding cells in an ECM, such as Matrigel matrix, which provides a scaffold and supports 3D growth in the proper orientation. Spheroids can be grown either in an ECM matrix or forced to form 3D structures using ultra-low attachment (ULA) surfaces or other physical methods.

If you are developing a therapeutic product, specific manufacturing and regulatory requirements may apply. An animal-free, fully synthetic surface may be necessary in this case.

For more in-depth information, The Corning Guide to Surface Selection by Cell Type provides a helpful guide to cell type compatibility of cell culture surfaces, with references from the scientific literature. Or, for a quick reference, download the infographic How to Pick the Right Cell Culture Surface.