Flexcell International Corporation is a U.S.-based biotechnology company specializing in dynamic cell culture systems that apply mechanical forces—such as tension, compression, and fluid shear—to cells in vitro. These systems are instrumental in simulating the physical conditions cells experience in the human body, providing insights into cellular responses relevant to tissue engineering, disease modeling, and drug discovery.
Core Technologies
Flexcell's product offerings are centered around three primary mechanical loading systems:
- Tension Systems: These systems apply cyclic or static tensile strain to cells cultured on flexible-bottomed culture plates. The FX-6000™ Tension System, for instance, uses pneumatic pressure to simulate in vivo tissue strains, accommodating both uniaxial and equibiaxial loading.
- Compression Systems: The FX-5000™ Compression System employs regulated air pressure to compress tissue samples or 3D cell cultures, allowing researchers to study cellular responses under compressive forces.
- Fluid Shear Systems: The Streamer® system applies fluid-induced shear stress to cells in culture, with capabilities for laminar, pulsatile, or oscillating flow patterns, facilitating studies on cell behavior under varying fluid dynamics .
Applications in Research
Flexcell's systems are utilized across various research domains, including:
- Tissue Engineering: Creating 3D cell-seeded constructs to mimic native tissue environments.
- Cardiovascular Research: Studying endothelial cell behavior and vascular tissue responses.
- Musculoskeletal Studies: Investigating tendon, ligament, and cartilage responses to mechanical stimuli.
- Cancer Research: Modeling tumor microenvironments and metastasis.
- Neurological Studies: Examining cellular responses in brain injury and neurodegenerative diseases.
Notable Products
- FX-6000™ Tension System: A computer-regulated bioreactor that applies mechanical tensile strain to cells, simulating in vivo tissue strains .
- FX-5000™ Compression System: Applies controlled compressive forces to tissue samples or 3D cell cultures, facilitating studies on cellular responses under compression .
- Streamer® Fluid Shear System: Allows regulation of fluid shear stress to cells in culture, with capabilities for laminar, pulsatile, or oscillating flow patterns
