For example my cells are growing slow, gaining confluency along with attaining morphological growth is taking time in a T25 flask. I am keep on changing media after every 48 hours.
So my question is cells slow growth and media changing for a long time in a T25 flask, will affect the flask own property; its hydrophilic nature (charge and optical properties).
Question is ONLY concerned to T25 Flask property, NOT related to any cell property, cells are fine but slow growing in here condition.
T 25 flasks are made of polystyrene which is quite robust and takes long time to degrade. The surface of polystyrene would be treated to make the cells adhere to it. So, unless your cells need some special matrix masking the polystyrene layer, it would be exposed for a longer time to media. The ions in the media could potentially react with the charged polystyrene. So there is a possibility of charge dependent changes in the flask and hence the hydrophilicity. I am not sure about the optical properties. You could take UV vis absorbance of the flask before you start culturing, note down the absorption and refractive index, and keep monitoring it after culturing. Ofcourse, you have to sacrifice those cells in that flask as UV exposure could kill the cells.
Well detailed answer by Ramya. I would like to add few more. As said, the culture surface of T25 flask will be usually treated with argon plasma, etc, which creates changes in the topography of the surface thereby aiding the cell adhesion. Now, apart from the ions in the media, there will proteins from the serum and further the cells themselves might produce and deposit matrix proteins.. These will definitely occupy the micro topographies in the cell culture surface, thereby changing the property for further cell culture.
Optical properties , definitely yes, and again the reason is same.. Once the micro topographies are modified, the refractive index, translucency etc definitely changes. You can visually examine a new flask and a flask which has been used long time for culturing the cells. You will obviously be able to spot the difference.
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