CO2 incubators play a vital role in medical research. They provide sterile conditions for cultivation and are used whenever cells need to grow in a germ-free environment. An important area of application for gassed incubators is regenerative medicine, a relatively new field of biomedicine which is concerned with repairing or restoring tissues, cells, or organs that have been damaged or destroyed. The missing or damaged tissue is either cultivated or regenerated by stimulating the body's own growth and repair processes.
The following example applications from the field of regenerative medicine illustrate how BINDER CO2 incubators provide optimum conditions for cell growth:
CO2 incubators incubate human skin cells for skin grafts
Skin is removed from the patient, the skin cells are multiplied in the CO2 incubator, and subsequently implanted into the patient. This new form of therapy is of ground-breaking significance for patients with extensive burns, as the significant scars which form as a result of traditional transplantation procedures can be avoided.
A great deal of effort is required to cultivate human skin and the strictest of safety requirements must be met. Previously, laboratory staff had to complete laborious cleaning procedures before they were permitted to enter the cleanroom where the CO2 incubators are located. However, since the demand for artificially created skin cells can barely be met, technicians started searching for a more efficient solution. They finally came up with the idea of directly integrating the CO2 incubator into the isolator. This means that laboratory staff can work in the CO2 incubator room much longer without increasing the risk of contamination.
Read more about this in our Sysmex Suisse AG case study.
Stem cell research: Studying and curing illnesses
Stem cell research can play a key role in researching and fighting diseases like cancer. Stem cells are cells in the body that can develop into different tissues or cell types. They can help to replace tissue affected by disease or support the regeneration of organs. As such, stem cell research provides the scientific foundation for regenerative medicine. When it comes to handling cell cultures, sterile conditions are of the utmost importance. The CO2 incubators used in this field need to be capable of autosterilization. This reduces the risk of contamination to an absolute minimum.
Stem cell research also plays a role in research into musculoskeletal disorders. The Center for Musculoskeletal Research at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry in New York (URMC) is a specialist in multidisciplinary, comprehensive research into improving musculoskeletal health. The Center is using research into mesenchymal stem cells, which create cartilage, bone, fat, and connective tissue, to develop ways of healing bones and fractures. Freedom from contamination and precise oxygen control are of paramount importance for the incubation of cells.