MTT and matrigel - (Feb/06/2007 )

hi guys,
do you think is possible to perform a MTT survival assay to cells growing on matrigel? the problem that I see is the matrigel it self when reading absorvance, it ould interfere? what do you think
thks!!

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Before you measure absorbance, you have to extract the produced formazan salt with some alcohol, like 2-propanol (1:1 with medium). If I were you, I'd just make a negative control matrigel (without cells), and use the absorbance of that sample as blank.

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matrigel contains growth factors (there is also a growth-factor reduced matrigel available from BD); nevertheless, the growth factors do not also promote proliferation but influence cell survival and viability;

and I do not know if different charges of matrigel are totally identical in composition of matrix proteins and growth factors; so you may get varying results with different charges of matrigel

I would either choose a more defined ECM or no

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thanks guys
you're right, bearer, but I perform all my esperiments in matrigel, thus I have no choise

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