Size-Controlled Embryoid Bodies and Stem Cell Aggregates: Application Guide

Why aggregate size control matters

Differentiation protocols that start from stem cell aggregates are sensitive to aggregate size, and published work in our library demonstrates the consequence directly: one study comparing size-controlled embryoid bodies made in microwell dishes against non-size-controlled ones from V-shaped 96-well plates found the size-controlled route advantageous for generating photoreceptor precursors.

Other library studies form hundreds of neurospheres from a single pipetting step into micro-molded agarose plates, expand pancreatic progenitors in defined 3D culture, and generate synthetic embryo-like structures that progress from rosette formation to lumenogenesis in 3D co-culture.

How the 3D Petri Dish® fits

The micro-mold casts a non-adhesive agarose gel with an array of recesses. Mono-dispersed cells pipetted into the single large seeding chamber settle into every recess within about 10–20 minutes and self-assemble through their own cell–cell adhesion — so one pipetting step yields a full array of aggregates rather than one aggregate at a time.

Aggregate size is set by the number of cells seeded into the chamber, which is what makes size control straightforward: the same mold produces small or large aggregates depending on seeding density. Molds are reusable — guaranteed for 12 uses — and autoclaved at 121°C on a standard steam dry cycle.

Peer-reviewed studies

Browse the full research library for published stem cell and developmental biology studies using the 3D Petri Dish®.