Flexcell® FX-6000 Tension System

A computer-regulated bioreactor that uses vacuum pressure and positive air pressure to apply cyclic or static strain to cells cultured on flexible-bottomed culture plates.

• Applies a defined, controlled, static or cyclic deformation to cells growing in 3D or monolayer
• Allows users to simulate in vivo tissue strains and frequencies in vitro
• State-of-the-art digital valve automatically regulates vacuum pressure and positive air pressure for specified strain regimen
• Mimics in vivo conditions in cells from muscle, lung, heart, vascular vessels, skin, tendon, ligament, cartilage, and bone.
• FlexSoft® FX-6000 software allows for multiple frequency, amplitude and waveform changes to be programmed in one regimen
• Compatible with Windows 10
• Use Bioflex® culture plates with cylindrical loading posts to apply equibiaxial strain
• Use Uniflex® culture plates with Arctangle® loading posts to apply uniaxial strain
• Gradient strain or unconstrained distention achieved by removing loading stations
• Drives up to 4 Flexlink® Controllers with 1 FX-6000T Tension System

• Available waveforms: static, sinusoidal, heart stimulation, triangular, square and custom

Flexcell® FX-5000 Tension System

The FX-5000 Tension System is a patented, computerized, pressure-operated instrument that applies a defined controlled, static or variable duration cyclic tension, to cells growing in vitro. This system utilizes regulated vacuum pressure to deform flexible-bottomed culture plates.

When used with BioFlex^® culture plates and cylindrical-shaped loading posts, this system applies an equibiaxial strain to the cells cultured in monolayer on the flexible-bottomed membrane of the BioFlex^® culture well.  Similarly, when used with UniFlex^® culture plates and an Arctangle^® loading post, this system applies a uniaxial strain. This system can also apply a gradient biaxial strain of up to 33% when used in the absence of loading posts.

Highlights

Apply equibiaxial or uniaxial tension to cells in 2D and 3D culture.

Simulate in vivo tissue strains and frequencies in an in vitro setting.

Contains state-of-the-art digital valves to automatically regulate and maintain pressure for a specified strain regimen.

Works with BioFlex^®, Tissue Train^®, UniFlex^®, and 24-well HT BioFlex^® series culture plates.

Multiple frequency, amplitude and waveform changes can be programmed in one regimen.

Drives up to four independent Flexlink^® remote compression and/or tension controllers.

FX-5000 Tension System includes:

· Host computer with monitor

· FlexSoft FX-5000 software

· FX5K Tension Flexlink^®

· Tension accessory package:

     BioFlex^® baseplate and four gaskets

     BioFlex^® Loading Stations with 25 mm diameter Loading Post

     Four BioFlex^® culture plates

     Drying filter, water trap, vacuum tubing, and grease/lubricant

Flexcell^® Tissue Train^® System

The Tissue Train^® culture system is a stand-alone 3D culture system that allows investigators to create 3D geometries for cell culture in a matrix gel or allow the cells to build a self-assembled matrix that connects to the anchors in a Tissue Train^® culture plate. Flexcell currently has molds and/or plates for creating three different shaped hydrogels: linear, trapezoidal, and circular.
The FX-5000 Tension System provides the investigator with a tool to apply regulated uniaxial or equibiaxial strain to the growing bioartificial tissues. A user can define a frequency, elongation and duration of strain in a regimen that simulates the strain environment of the native tissue in the body.

ScanFlex with XyFlex

A measure of cellular remodeling of the extracellular matrix is gel compaction over time. ScanFlex is an automated image collection system that allows users to periodically scan items placed on a scanner bed. The ScanFlex software controls a digital scanner and allows users to program the number of times and the time intervals when digital scans are taken. When used in conjunction with Tissue Train^® culture plates, ScanFlex can be used to determine the change in area of a bioartificial tissue (BAT). Furthermore, the area of a BAT can be measured using the XyFlex image analysis software. XyFlex software allows the user to automatically measure the BAT area in a large sequence of images.

Tissue Train^® System includes:

· Host computer with monitor

· FlexSoft FX-5000 software

· FX5K Tension Flexlink^®

· Accessory package:

 BioFlex^® baseplate and four gaskets

 Tissue Train^® Trough Loaders

 Arctangle^® Loading Stations

 Four Tissue Train^® culture plates

 Drying filter, water trap, vacuum tubing, and grease/lubricant

Flexcell^® FX-5000 Compression System

The FX-5000 Compression System is a patented, computerized, pressure-operated instrument that applies a defined controlled, static or variable duration cyclic compression, to cells growing in vitro. This system utilizes regulated air pressure to deflect flexible-bottomed BioPress culture plates compressing a tissue sample or 3D cell culture between a piston and a stationary platen. This system can apply up to 14 pounds of applied force.

Highlights

Apply cyclic or static compression to cells in 3D culture.

Simulate in vivo tissue forces and frequencies in an in vitro setting.

Contains state-of-the-art digital valves to automatically regulate and maintain pressure for a specified compression regimen.

Works with BioPress culture plates.

Multiple frequency, amplitude and waveform changes can be programmed in one regimen.

Drives up to four independent Flexlink^® remote compression and/or tension controllers.

FX-5000 Compression System includes:

· Host computer with monitor

· FlexSoft FX-5000 software

· FX5K Compression Flexlink^®

· Compression accessory package:

   . BioPress baseplate and four gaskets

.Compression clamping system

.Four BioPress culture plates

.Tubing and quick disconnects

Flexcell^® Fluid Shear Systems

Streamer^®

The Streamer^® is a parallel-plate flow system that is used to apply fluid-induced shear stress to cells grown in a monolayer. The system includes a six-chamber laminar flow device designed to hold 75 x 25 x 1 mm Culture Slips^®. The Streamer^® system can be used to apply laminar, pulsatile*, or oscillating* flow to cells.  A computer-controlled peristaltic pump is used to regulate shear stress from 0-35 dynes/cm².  This six place flow chamber can be used for various biological assays including, but not limited to, the assessment of RNA and protein expression by cells in response to fluid-induced shear stress and production of secreted molecules into the perfusate.

*When used in conjunction with the Osci-Flow^® Flow Controller.

Osci-Flow^®

The Osci-Flow^® is a software-controlled valve-operated device designed to provide oscillatory or start-stop flow patterns to cells cultured in the Streamer^®, FlexFlow or other perfusion devices. The Osci-Flow^® device is able to regulate flow both in an oscillatory (flow reversal) manner and in a pulsatile (square wave) mode, where the flow is stopped and then restarted after a designated period of time.  The StreamSoft software allows the user to regulate frequency of oscillation or pulsatile patterns, as well as shear stress levels applied to cells.

FlexFlow

The FlexFlow is a parallel plate laminar flow device designed to apply fluid shear stress and/or cyclic strain to cells in culture while providing a means for viewing cell activity under a microscope in real time. The FlexFlow fits on the stage of a standard upright microscope. 

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