For that researchers of 300MICRONS led by Prof. Dr. Eric Gottwald, Dr.-Ing Stefan Giselbrecht and Dr.-Ing. Roman Truckenmüller have developed a three-dimensional cell culture system with micro dpressions ("Microcavity arrays").

Normally, on the 5th day of their cultivation liver cells have lost their metabolic capacity almost completely. Therefore, culturing of these cells with the aim to carry out long-term toxicity tests is challenging. As the researchers report on their website they offer an outer supporting structure for the cells to enable them to arrange themselves in a natural way in the microcavities. The cellular system provides an organotypic environment for the cells. Cultivated in the new technology, at least 50 per cent of the the cells still maintained their metabolic function after two months.

The system also works with other cell types, among others with induced pluripotent stem cells tageting to replace animal use in the field of drug and toxicity testing. The film chips can be placed in microtiter plates. The cell tests can be carried out mainly in the high-throughput or high-content screening. Basic research could also benefit from the new system.

300MICRONS was founded in 2015, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and a private investor are involved. It was financed via the program "Helmholtz Enterprise" of Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres. In the following years production process is going to become fully automated.

Sources:
http://kit-neuland.de/2015/home/300microns/
http://www.300microns.com/products/