Imaging Services
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Computed Tomography
- Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography
- Positron Emission Tomography
- Bioluminescence
- Fluorescence
- Cryofluorescence Imaging
- X-ray and Scintigraphy
- Clinical Imaging Systems for Research
Cell-based Services
- Universal lentiviral vector luciferase reporter backbone for tracking expression of nearly any miRNA
- Currently available:
- Lv-miR-control vector (lacks a miRNA target sequence)
- Lv-Luc-miR-145-5p
- Lv-Luc-miR-27b-5p
- Lv-Luc-miR-27b-3p
- Lv-Luc-miR-21-3p (validation in process)
- Currently available:
- Next generation RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq)
- Available Reporter Vectors (validated)
- Human Aggrecan promoter reporter (Lentiviral vector, dTomato)
- Human Aggrecan promoter reporter (Lentiviral vector, secreted Gaussia Luciferase)
- Human COL10A1 promoter reporter (Lentiviral vector, secreted Gaussia Luciferase)
- Human COL2A1 promoter reporter (Lentiviral vector, secreted Gaussia Luciferase)
- Human Col2 promoter reporter (Plasmid, Firefly Luciferase)
- Human Osteocalcin promoter reporter (Lentiviral vector, Firefly Luciferase)
- Human Osteocalcin promoter reporter (Lentiviral vector, dTomato)
- Human Runx2 promoter reporter (Lentiviral vector, secreted Gaussia Luciferase)
- Human Sox9 promoter reporter (Lentiviral vector, Firefly Luciferase)
- Human Sox9 promoter reporter (Lentiviral vector, secreted Gaussia Luciferase)
- Human Sox9 promoter reporter short sequence (Plasmid, Firefly Luciferase)
- Human Sox9 promoter reporter full sequence (Plasmid, Firefly Luciferase)
- Mouse Sox9 promoter reporter full sequence (Plasmid, Firefly Luciferase)
- Human Sox9 promoter reporter (Lentiviral vector, eGFP)
- Available lentiviral vectors for cell tracking:pLV-Puromicin-dTomato-Luciferase
- pLV-Puromicin-CyPet
- pLV-Puromicin-YPet
- pLV-Puromicin-Luciferase
- pLV-Blasticidin-mCherry-Luciferase
- pLV-Neomicin-dTomato
- pLV-Puromicin-eGFP
- pLV-Secreted Nano-Luciferase
- pLV-Puromicin-eGFP-Luciferase
- Generation of differentiation markers / promoter-specific viral vectors with traceable gene reporters.
- Efficient viral transduction of primary cells and cell lines.
- Large-scale generation of hybrid structures for in vitro chondrogenesis.
- Bioluminescence Imaging (BLI) of created hybrid structures to assess cell differentiation in real time.
- Structural analysis of engineered tissue sections (Immunohistochemistry) with a panel of Proteoglycan (PG)- and Glycosaminoglycan (GAG)-specific antibodies.
- Immunological assessment of conditioned medium (ELISA) with the same panel of specific antibodies, as an indirect analysis of ECM remodeling.
- Biochemical determination of the GAG composition of generated cartilage ECM.
Biochemical Environment Services
- Transport modeling and parameter estimation for glucose consumption in aggregate culture
- Biomolecular rate cut-off determination for success/failure in aggregate culture.
- Donor-specific assessment of metabolism of client-MSC aggregates (glucose, lactate)
- Donor-specific assessment of metabolism of client-MSC aggregates under varying exogenous factors (to be specified by clients)
- LC/QQQ Amino acid analysis of culture samples
- Amino acid pathway flux balance analysis
- Microbioreactor and splitter for feeding for use in MSC chondrogenesis
- 16-well conical bottom perfusion microreactor (10 microliter wells)
- 16-well flat-bottom perfusion microreactor (9 microliter wells)
- 100-well conical bottom perfusion microreactor (10 microliter wells)
- 4-way microsplitter
- Quantitative evaluation of metabolism and mass transport in client-TE constructs
- Fluid mixing analysis in bioreactors
- USB-based actuator; hardware and software
- Perfusion bioreactor for culture and mechanical stimulation (flexion) of tissues
Biomechanics Services
- Coefficient of friction measurements for native and engineered cartilage
- High-frequency ultrasound interrogation (50 MHz) of native and engineered tissue to visualize small features
- Surface and internal damage evaluation in tissue engineered and native cartilage using high frequency (30 MHz) ultrasound
- Acoustic anisotropy of cartilage
- Biphasic mechanical properties of native and engineered cartilage using indentation
- Friction and potential damage of native and engineered cartilage under normal load and sliding shear
- Depth dependent shear properties of tissues and tissue engineered constructs
- Quasi-static and dynamic properties of tissues in compression or tension