Alvetex is a porous polystyrene block in which cells can be cultured. Cells are purported to adopt more biologically relevant morphologies and behaviours. I like the theory, but has anybody tried them, and if so, did you find them easy to visualise? Do they need to be broken/cut to see the cells under a microscope? Is a confocal scope required to avoid cells above and below your target cells obscuring your view?
Can they be monitored live? Can fluorescing cells (e.g. GFP+ cells) be monitored within these scaffolds?
I haven't used them, but am also looking into it. The manufacturers claim they can be used whole for confocal microscopy (including live cell imaging) or fixed and sectioned.
Would be interested in hearing more about anyone's experiences with these scaffolds.
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