Solid tumors are associated with a modified microenvironment, in particular an enhanced collagen content and increased stiffness at the level of the extracellular matrix (ECM). These ECM changes are now recognized as important drivers of cancer initiation, progression, and propagation, and also impact the responses of cancerous cells to treatments. Read more…
To treat brain disease is a challeging purpose, since the brain is protected by a barrier made by of tightly-joined endothelial cells of the cerebral microvessels, called the blood–brain barrier (BBB). To improve this route to reach the central nervous system, several strategies have been developed. Among them, researchers try Read more…
3D cell culture systems have recently emerged as promising tools for reproducing the cellular environment and the organization of tissues/organs, where cells are connected to each other and to the surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM). In this webinar we will focus on BIOMIMESYS® Liver and will discuss about its different applications. Read more…
3D cell culture systems have recently emerged as promising tools for reproducing the cellular environment and the organization of tissues/organs, where cells are connected to each other and to the surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM). BIOMIMESYS® hydroscaffold technology based on crosslinking Hyaluronic Acid (HA) and extracellular matrix compounds reproduces tissue microenvironment Read more…
We previously showed that human pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) provide a suitable model to study metabolic diseases upon hepatocyte-like cell (HLC) differentiation. In particular, HLCs have been used to model cholesterol metabolism regulation, by mimicking the main disease features in vitro. Human iPSCs can be generated from urine samples of Read more…
In HCS Pharma we are specialized in 3D cell culture and we have developed high skills in 3D imaging thanks to the help of our partner Molecular Devices. We are used to using powerful ImageXpress Micro Confocal Systems to investigated 3D cells morphology in HCS context from fluorescence pictures. The Read more…
HCS Pharma était présent au Workshop OoC pour une création et une structuration de la filière, organisé par Biovalley à l’Institut Pierre-Gilles de Gennes (Paris). Nous sommes très heureux d’avoir pu sponsoriser l’événement, mais aussi tout simplement d’y avoir participé – en présentiel – et de pouvoir discuter avec des chercheurs Read more…
How to make in vitro models predictive of in vivo conditions? Dynamic models hold promise for future predictive microphysiological systems (MPS). By combining BIOMIMESYS® as an ECM surrogate for 3D culture, and hiPSC-derived cells, these dynamic microfluidic systems will revolutionize the field, reproducing human tissues and predict human outcomes.
A relevant liver in vitro model should display CYP inducibility that mimics in vivo metabolic responsiveness to known modulators. This response of CYPs to induction is a critical parameter for predicting adverse drug reactions.
Maintaining the basal characteristics of primary hepatocytes and HepG2 allows performing metabolic studies. The functional instability of hepatocytes in 2D culture results in a rapid decrease in specific metabolic pathways (Figure 1). Cell culture in BIOMIMESYS® Liver shows higher metabolic characteristics of hepatocytes compared to a culture in 2D, such Read more…
Solid tumors are associated with a modified microenvironment, in particular an enhanced collagen content and increased stiffness at the level of the extracellular matrix (ECM). These ECM changes are now recognized as important drivers of cancer initiation and progression, and also impact the responses of cancerous cells to treatments. Made Read more…
BIOMIMESYS® Liver recreates the complex cellular microenvironment of the liver to extend longevity and functionality of hepatocytes in culture: The life of human primary hepatocytes grown in a 2D sandwich is low, 3-10 days (1) and is accompanied by dedifferentiation, leading to the loss of their functions. In 2D culture, Read more…
Hepatotoxicity testing in animals predicts only 50% of liver damage observed in clinical context, in part, because of difference in inter-species hepatic metabolism (1). Therefore, a relevant in vitro model mimicking the micro-environment of the human liver for maintaining and promoting hepatocyte functions, is needed for a better hepatotoxicity prediction Read more…
Pre-adipocytes differentiate into adipocytes through several phases: differentiation and maturation, where they are then completely functional (lipogenesis / lipolysis).
Retinoic acid and Caffeine are reference molecules known for their inhibitory activity on lipogenesis. Retinoic acid, a derivative of vitamin A, inhibits adipogenesis by blocking adipogenic factors such as PPARγ2 and C / EBPα, via the Retinoic acid receptor (RAR) ligand (1). Caffeine, a non-selective adenosine antagonist receptor, is used Read more…
The morphological changes in cells during differentiation are accompanied by a profound change at the molecular level. In vivo, the adipocyte differentiation process includes early and late events due to differential gene regulation. The appearance of these markers is a sign of differentiation of pre-adipocytes and hence the development of Read more…
Triglycerides (TGs) are an efficient form of fatty acids to accumulate as energy reservoirs or as building blocks for membrane lipid synthesis. In adipose tissue, TGs are continuously synthesized during lipogenesis. In order to measure the lipogenesis activity of 3T3-L1 and mature human adipocytes, Adipored™ staining and Perilipin immunocytochemistry were Read more…
Adipocytes have a characteristic round morphology in vivo, due to the production of one large lipid vesicles, created by lipogenesis (1). In conventional cell culture, adipocytes cannot acquire this physiological morphology.
It is our pleasure to announce that the article of our PhD Student Véronique De Conto has been published in Toxicology in vitro journal. This work comes from a collaboration between HCS Pharma and Inserm Unit “Degenerative & vascular cognitive disorders”. This article highlight the importance to consider carefully the Read more…
We are very please to welcome Dr Isabelle Van Seuningen (Director of CANTHER laboratories & Director of ONCOLille Cancer Institute) and Dr Vincent Senez (Research Director CNRS/CANTHER Laboratory/ONCOLille Institute) in our serie of talk about the uses of BIOMIMESYS®. They explain why they use this technology on cancer research with Read more…
Our project leader Dr Meryl Roudaut was invited to present at the last ISVHLD congress, the Global Hepatitis Summit, in Taiwan. The theme of the summit, “Evolution and Revolution of Viral Hepatitis and Liver Disease”, was perfect to talk about the use of BIOMIMESYS® product to overcome the limitations of Read more…
Have you missed our last webinar with Molecular Devices about 3D oncology models? In April, our project leader Elodie was talking about how to establish and image physiologically relevant 3D cancer in vitro models, using BIOMIMESYS Oncology as a surrogate for the tumoral extracellular matrix. Our product BIOMIMESYS® Oncology matrix Read more…
Pharmaceutical industry is facing a very high failure rate in drug discovery, with 90% of failure in clinical trials. This is particularly true for central nervous system applications, with a rate of 30% safety failure in clinical trials, compared to 7% in preclinical trials (Cook et al. 2014). This reveals Read more…