Zellsuspension

Zellsuspension is a term used in biotechnology to denote a homogeneous mixture of cells dispersed in a liquid medium, as opposed to adherent cell cultures that require attachment to a substrate. In practice, a Zellsuspension describes cells that have been dissociated from tissue or a monolayer culture and kept in suspension for downstream assays or processing. Preparation typically involves enzymatic or mechanical dissociation, filtration to remove large aggregates, and resuspension in a suitable buffer or growth medium, often with additives to promote viability. Cell viability and concentration are assessed before use.

Properties of a Zellsuspension include an even distribution of cells with minimal clumping, a defined cell concentration, and adequate viability. The suspension should be handled gently to minimize shear stress, which can impact cell health and experimental outcomes.

Applications for Zellsuspensions are broad and include flow cytometry, nucleic acid or protein assays, transfection, cytotoxicity testing, and high-throughput screening. They enable uniform exposure to reagents and facilitate single-cell analyses, but suspended cells can be more fragile than adherent cells and may require optimized handling and immediate processing.

Variants exist for different cell types, including primary cells, immortalized cell lines, and stem or progenitor cells. Zellsuspension practices may differ in terms of dissociation methods, buffers, and additives to preserve specific cell phenotypes or functions.

Safety and ethics: The production and use of cell suspensions should comply with institutional biosafety guidelines and applicable regulations.

See also: Cell culture, Cell suspension, Trypsinization, Flow cytometry.