Knowledge Base

Are your hydrogels truly 100% animal-free?

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Yes—our hydrogels are completely animal-free, not just in the final product but throughout the entire manufacturing process. We use no animal-derived materials at any stage, ensuring a fully defined, ethically responsible alternative to traditional animal-based matrices. This means you can trust that our products support both scientific reproducibility and sustainability from start to finish.

What is the gelation mechanism of your hydrogels?

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Our hydrogels use a pH-dependent gelation mechanism. The material is supplied as a precursor gel solution that transitions into the final hydrogel upon mixing with the cell suspension—no cross-linking or temperature change required. This gentle, room-temperature process is highly cell-friendly, and the shear-thinning properties of the gel allow easy plating or manipulation even after gelation.

How long can you culture cells for in the hydrogels?

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Culture duration depends on the cell type and seeding density, but PeptiMatrix™ hydrogels can support long-term culture. Under appropriate conditions, cells have been successfully maintained for more than 30 days.

How do you extract cells from the hydrogels?

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Cells can be extracted from PeptiMatrix™ hydrogels using a simple, gentle process. By diluting the gel in PBS, the peptide concentration drops below the critical gelation threshold, allowing the matrix to dissolve and cells to be recovered. A detailed cell extraction protocol is freely available in our Knowledge Base.

Which cell lines and tissue types are compatible with your hydrogels?

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PeptiMatrix™ hydrogels are compatible with a wide range of cell lines and tissue types, including epithelial, stromal, and cancer-derived cells. For specific examples and recommendations, please visit our Products page for a full list of validated applications.

What are the storage conditions and shelf-life of your hydrogels?

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PeptiMatrix™ hydrogels are stable at ambient temperature for short periods during shipping. On receipt, they should be stored at 4 °C and used within 3 months for optimum performance. While some customers have reported successful use up to 6 months, this is not guaranteed.

What is the pore size of the hydrogels?

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The exact pore size of PeptiMatrix™ hydrogels is difficult to define, as conventional measurement methods often disrupt the hydrated structure of hydrogels. However, diffusion through PeptiMatrix™ hydrogels is excellent, allowing nutrients and gases to reach encapsulated cells while enabling efficient removal of waste products.

How do I remove or avoid bubbles in the gels?

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Small air bubbles may appear in the gel after shipping. To remove them, centrifuge the gel at 600 × g for 1 minute before use. To minimise air introduction during cell encapsulation, use reverse pipetting techniques. More detailed guidance is available in our "Encapsulating cells in PeptiMatrix hydrogels" SOP in the Knowledge Base.

Are the hydrogels compatible with bioprinting?

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Yes, PeptiMatrix™ hydrogels are compatible with extrusion-based bioprinters due to their shear-thinning properties, which allow smooth flow through printer nozzles and rapid recovery after deposition. For more information, see our recent Application Note with SPT Labtech, available in the Knowledge Base.

Are the hydrogels compatible with organ-on-chip platforms?

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PeptiMatrix™ hydrogels perform well under fluid flow and have been successfully used in organ-on-chip and microphysiological systems. A recent publication from Wageningen University & Research using HepaRG™ cells has recently been accepted and a link to the full formatted version will be available soon on our Publications page.