The anti-adherence rinsing solution (formerly known as AggreWell™ Rinsing Solution) is a specialized surfactant liquid for pre-treating laboratory cultureware to reduce surface tension and prevent unwanted cell adhesion. Scientists use this rinsing solution to coat plates, flasks, pipettes, strainers, and other equipment before introducing cells, ensuring that cells do not stick to vessel surfaces. Consequently, this improves cell recovery and promotes the formation of uniform cell aggregates or spheroids in suspension cultures. Apex Scientific, a leading laboratory equipment supplier in South Africa, offers the STEMCELL Technologies Anti-Adherence Rinsing Solution to support advanced cell culture workflows in research and clinical laboratories.
How It Works
This rinsing solution works by depositing a thin, non-toxic surfactant layer on the surface of your cultureware. As a result, the treated laboratory surface becomes ultra-low attachment, meaning cells are less likely to anchor to it. Moreover, the reduced surface tension ensures that culture medium spreads evenly, covering the surface without forming droplets. To use the solution, simply coat the desired plate or flask and then rinse it away with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) or culture medium, leaving behind a non-adherent coating. This quick pretreatment step integrates seamlessly into standard laboratory protocols and does not interfere with cell viability or growth.
Applications in the Laboratory
The anti-adherence rinsing solution is crucial for specific cell culture applications where cell attachment to plastic needs to be minimized. Additionally, working with AggreWell™ microplate systems and certain organoid culture methods requires the use of the anti-adherence rinsing solution. Key uses include:
- AggreWell™ plates – Pre-treating AggreWell plates (e.g. 24-well plates with microwells) ensures cells form uniform aggregates (such as embryoid bodies or spheroids) without sticking to the microwells’ sides. This rinsing step proves essential for obtaining reliable results when using these specialized plates.
- Organoid cultures – Preparing culture vessels for organoid growth media like HepatiCult™ and PancreaCult™ with the rinsing solution creates a non-adhesive environment for organoid formation. This helps liver and pancreas organoids float freely and develop properly.
- General labware – Likewise, researchers can apply this rinsing solution to various other laboratory equipment and containers (such as standard petri dishes, cell strainers, or serological pipettes) to prevent cells from clinging to surfaces during routine procedures. Furthermore, using it in these contexts can reduce cell loss and improve yield in applications like cell counting, passaging, or suspension culture.
Compatibility and Versatility
One of the greatest advantages of this rinsing solution is its broad compatibility with different cell types and experimental systems. It supports cell cultures from human and multiple model species (mouse, rat, even non-human primate), demonstrating its versatility. For example, stem cell biologists often rely on this solution to generate embryoid bodies, while cancer researchers use it for tumor spheroids. Neuroscience labs can form neurospheres without attachment, and many other fields benefit from its use in 3D cell culture. In addition, the Anti-Adherence Rinsing Solution supports research across various disciplines – from Cancer and Stem Cell Biology to advanced organoid and tissue engineering studies. By preventing aberrant cell sticking, it ensures more consistent, reproducible results, which is highly valued in scientific research.
At Apex Scientific, our team understands the technical needs of scientists and provides reliable, high-quality solutions from leading brands like STEMCELL Technologies. For further technical tips and insights on optimizing your cell culture workflows, visit the Apex Scientific Insights page for in-depth articles and guides tailored to the scientific community.
