cellQART® FAQ

Yes. cellQART® Cell Culture Inserts are available pre-loaded in compatible well plates, providing a convenient, ready-to-use solution for cell culture applications. Sterlitech offers multiple well plate formats and insert configurations to support a variety of cell-based assays and research workflows. Visit the cellQART® Pre-Loaded in Well Plates product page to explore available options and configurations.

Occasional media leakage or a ring of missing cells at the interface between the cellQART® Cell Culture Insert and the well plate can often be minimized by optimizing your culture conditions.

Sterlitech recommends:

Using a cellQART® insert with a lower pore density and clear membrane optics, when appropriate for your application.

Optimizing the cell seeding density to promote more uniform cell attachment and growth across the membrane.

If the issue persists, contact Sterlitech Technical Support for assistance in selecting the most suitable cell culture insert for your application.

CellQART® Cell Culture Inserts use a polyester (PET) track-etched membrane instead of polycarbonate. Because PET and polycarbonate differ in membrane chemistry, surface properties, and pore structure, you may observe changes in cell attachment, proliferation, morphology, or differentiation. When switching to cellQART® PET membrane inserts, Sterlitech recommends optimizing your cell seeding density by testing both higher and lower cell concentrations than your current protocol. This helps identify the conditions that provide the best cell growth, confluence, barrier integrity, and reproducibility for your specific cell type and application.

Yes. Membrane transparency can significantly improve cell imaging and experimental monitoring. The transparent track-etched membranes used in cellQART® Cell Culture Inserts are optimized for phase-contrast microscopy, live-cell imaging, and real-time monitoring of cell morphology and confluence. Their high optical clarity minimizes membrane interference, enabling more accurate analysis in Transwell® assays, co-culture systems, and permeability studies.

Both transparent and translucent cellQART® Cell Culture Inserts are compatible with fluorescence microscopy and fluorescent imaging. Transparent membranes: Best for high-resolution imaging, detailed cell morphology, and maximum optical clarity. Translucent membranes: Ideal for routine fluorescence assays, permeability studies, and transport experiments. The best choice depends on your imaging requirements, experimental design, and personal preference, rather than fluorescence compatibility.

Yes. Membrane transparency and porosity are directly related. In general, higher transparency corresponds to lower pore density (porosity), while higher porosity results in a more translucent membrane. When selecting a cellQART® Cell Culture Insert, consider both your imaging needs and diffusion requirements, as the desired level of transparency may influence the available membrane porosity options.

Yes. cellQART® Cell Culture Inserts are designed to be fully compatible with standard 6-well, 12-well, and 24-well plates. Their patented hanging design ensures secure positioning within the well while providing excellent access for pipetting and routine cell culture handling, making them ideal for transwell assays, co-culture, and permeability studies.

To promote better initial cell attachment, pre-condition the cellQART® Cell Culture Inserts by incubating them with your intended cell culture medium for at least 1 hour at the desired culture temperature before seeding cells. This simple pre-incubation step helps prepare the membrane surface and can improve cell attachment and overall culture consistency.

Not necessarily. cellQART® Cell Culture Inserts are tissue culture-treated to promote cell attachment, so additional coating is not required for many cell types. However, some cells may benefit from an extracellular matrix (ECM) coating (such as collagen, fibronectin, or laminin) to enhance cell attachment, growth, or differentiation. The need for a coating depends on your specific cell type and application.

Yes. cellQART® Cell Culture Inserts support cell growth on both sides of the membrane. For best results, seed cells on the underside of the membrane first, allow them to attach, and then seed cells on the upper surface. This approach is commonly used for co-culture models, tissue engineering, and advanced in vitro cell culture applications.

If you're unsure whether your cell seeding density is optimal, test two or more seeding densities both above and below your current protocol. Compare cell attachment, growth, confluence, and assay performance, then adjust your seeding density based on the conditions that produce the best results. Optimizing seeding density can improve cell culture reproducibility, barrier formation, and overall assay performance.

Yes. cellQART® Cell Culture Inserts are individually packaged and sterilized by gamma irradiation, making them ready for immediate use in sterile cell culture applications.

Yes. Membrane pore size plays a critical role in cell migration and invasion assays. In general, 3 µm to 8 µm pore sizes are commonly used, but the optimal pore size depends on your cell type and cell size. Before selecting a cellQART® Cell Culture Insert, Sterlitech recommends considering the size and migratory behavior of your cells to ensure optimal assay performance and reproducible results.

Yes. Membrane transparency is related to porosity, which can influence cell migration assays. Translucent membranes typically have higher porosity, allowing cells to migrate more readily and increasing the number of observable migrated cells. When selecting a cellQART® Cell Culture Insert, consider both your imaging requirements and the membrane porosity needed for your cell migration study.

Yes. For tumor invasion assays, many researchers coat the cell culture insert membrane with Matrigel® or another firm extracellular matrix (ECM) coating. This creates a barrier that better mimics the extracellular matrix and helps evaluate cell invasion to the underside of the membrane. Coating requirements may vary depending on the tumor cell line, assay design, and desired endpoint, so users should optimize coating thickness and seeding density for their specific study.

In addition to routine cell counts, monitor key incubation conditions such as temperature, CO₂ concentration, media condition, humidity, and light exposure. Most cells perform best within a narrow range of culture parameters, so keeping deviations to a minimum can help support consistent cell growth, viability, and reproducible results.

The dimensions of cellQART® Cell Culture Inserts vary depending on the well plate format (6-, 12-, or 24-well) and the insert configuration. For the most accurate and up-to-date dimensions, please refer to the cellQART® Well Plate User Guide, which provides detailed specifications for each insert size and format.

All cellQART Cell Culture Inserts use microporous Polyester Track-Etched (PETE) membranes made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The track-etched membrane is heat-welded to the insert, providing a secure, leak-free bond and consistent performance for cell culture, cell migration, permeability, and co-culture applications.

CellQART® Cell Culture Inserts are supplied in packs of 48 inserts. Each insert is individually packaged and sterilized by gamma irradiation, ensuring sterility and convenience for immediate use in cell culture applications.

All cellQART® Cell Culture Insert membranes are tissue culture-treated to promote excellent cell attachment and growth. This surface treatment supports reliable cell adhesion for a wide range of cell culture, transwell, co-culture, and permeability assay applications.

Yes. Sterlitech can evaluate projects requiring custom cell culture inserts based on your application and design requirements. If you need a customized insert configuration, please contact your Sterlitech Sales Representative to discuss your project and available customization options.

The primary difference between clear and translucent polyester (PET) track-etched membranes is the balance between optical clarity and diffusion. Clear membranes have a lower pore density, making them functionally transparent for optical microscopy, phase contrast imaging, and cell observation. However, the lower pore density also limits diffusion across the membrane. Translucent membranes have a higher pore density, allowing for improved diffusion and cell transport. The increased pore density results in a more opaque appearance, making them less suitable for applications requiring maximum optical clarity. Choose clear membranes when imaging quality is the priority, and translucent membranes when enhanced diffusion is more important for your cell culture application.

Yes, but chemical compatibility should be carefully evaluated before using cellQART® Cell Culture Inserts with solvent solutions such as ethanol. The inserts are composed of a polystyrene housing and a polyester (PET) track-etched membrane, so any solvent used must be compatible with both materials. For solvent-based applications, Sterlitech recommends using cellQART® inserts with translucent membranes. Their higher porosity provides stronger heat-welded bonds, resulting in improved resistance to compatible solvent solutions. If you are unsure whether your solvent is compatible with cellQART® inserts, contact Sterlitech Technical Support for guidance.

Yes. cellQART® Cell Culture Inserts are compatible with Transepithelial Electrical Resistance (TEER) measurements. When performing TEER assays, ensure that the electrode in the apical compartment does not contact the membrane. Touching the membrane can puncture it or separate it from the insert, potentially compromising your cell culture and affecting measurement accuracy. Handle the electrode carefully to maintain membrane integrity and obtain reliable TEER results.