Cell and Tissue Culture

photo credits: Copyright Medical University Graz

CellBank Graz offers a wide range of services and competent technical support for cell and tissue cultures. The ISO certification of the Core Facility guarantees comprehensive quality control of cell lines in the form of myocoplasma tests and cell authentication tests using STR analyses, as well as a controlled standardized storage system. Established patient-derived cell lines from various tumor entities (including sarcomas, glioblastomas, melanomas, breast, and cholangiocarcinomas) are available to researchers according to the highest quality standards and detailed characterization.

CONTACT
Beate Rinner
Medical University of Graz
cellbank@medunigraz.at

photo credits: Copyright Medical University Graz

The Core Facility is specialized in the establishment of adequate cell culture models (primary culture, 3D and co-culture). Due to the proximity to the University Hospital Graz, the good cooperation between the various disciplines and the Comprehensive Cancer Center, an efficient transfer of tissue, a rapid isolation of cells, a reduction of the ischemia time and a comprehensive know-how is guaranteed. In addition, the Core Facility offers the possibility of screening substances: a cytostatics bench, an automated liquid handler and dispensers are available. Continuous monitoring of proliferation, migration and invasion of cells/cell systems is possible.

CONTACT
Beate Rinner
Medical University of Graz
cellbank@medunigraz.at

photo credits: Copyright Medical University Graz

The body and its organs are protected from uncontrolled infiltration of substances by epithelial barriers. Outer barriers avoid contact with the environment (epidermis, cornea, as well as respiratory, oral and urogenital mucosae). Inner barriers separate inner organs and blood and exist between lymphatic organs, reproductive organs and brain. Permeation and inflammation at barriers can be assessed by in vitro models. Respiratory Tract Calu-3 cells on membranes cultured at an air-liquid interface culture Intestinal Tract Caco-2 cells on membrane inserts – with and without mucus-overlay Blood-Brain-Barrier Static : hcMEC/D3 + primary astrocytes on membranes Dynamic: CELLMAX® DUO bioreactor

CONTACT
Eleonore Fröhlich
Medical University of Graz
eleonore.froehlich@medunigraz.at

photo credits: Copyright Medical University Graz

The intestinal tract is one of the most complex organs and contains the greatest number and diversity of immune cells in the body. Several subsets of mononuclear phagocytes and DCs (MDC) populate the small intestine (SI), and these cells reportedly exert specialized functions in anti-microbial immunity and tolerance. In order to understand respective activities of these cells in the mucosal landscape, we established a new model which realistically recapitulates the cellular composition of the human SI comprising epithelial cell lines and diverse immune cell subsets, including intestinal mononuclear phagocytes, which have collectively emerged as key players in the maintenance of gut homeostasis, the development of gut inflammation and as well its resolution. In depth understanding of specific roles of these cells in the small intestinal immune landscape might pave the way for novel treatments of inflammatory disorders (like Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis).

CONTACT
Christa Schimpel
Medical University of Graz
christa.schimpel@medunigraz.at

photo credits: Copyright FH-Joanneum Graz

The organ-on a chip technology addresses increasing demands of physiology in vitro - including flow !

The Mimetas Organoplate system (including OrganoTEER devices) provides the generation of miniature 3D organ-on a chip models

• lacking artificial membranes (as separating compartments)
• enabling high troughput
• and most important - including physiological flow!

It represents state-of-the-art technology to re-evaluate data obtained in 2D cell culture and can be used to address e.g. compounds for

• toxicity-related aspects 
• potential protective effects 
• effects on (intestinal) barrier function

and many more.

Several models with different levels of complexity can be realized (immortalized cell lines, co-culture, organoid-on a chip…) as e.g. our gut-on-a chip models (for normal/leaky gut).

Contakt
Monika Riederer
FH Joanneum
monika.riederer@fh-joanneum.at

photo credits: Copyright Medical University Graz

The 3D organ lab model helps to investigate biochemical processes and their pathologies in complete organs. This model combines the following advantages: 1) Different cell types are composed 2) in a 3D network and could be cultivated 3) in defined compartments 4) with diverse physical and chemical conditions, wherein 5) direct cell-to-cell contact can be promoted or avoided. This model consists of an electrospun hollow fiber of polycaprolactone modified with polylactide (PCL/PLA). The hollow fiber is linked with luer lock connections in a polycarbonate housing to create two discriminative compartments: the inner surface facing the lumen, representing the inner compartment and a second (outer) compartment. Both can be seeded with cells from various tissues. The PCL/PLA mesh allows a cross-talk of cells by the exchange of paracrine factors or could offer a direct cell-to-cell contact. The cells in the inner and outer compartment are applied to conditions appropriate to their requirements, e.g. flow, nutritional supplies, or variations in the oxygen concentration. The following models are already established and readyto- use: blood vessel, trachea/ bronchus, intestine, placenta (invasion model).

CONTACT
Dagmar Brislinge
Medical University of Graz
dagmar.brislinger@medunigraz.at

photo credits: Copyright Medical University Graz

In conventional cell culture cells rapidly loose their tissuespecific properties and are thus less useful for drug tests and for studying molecular interactions within a tissue. Therefore it is worthwhile working with 3D cultures. These organotypic cultures possess the natural, mechanical and chemical environment and thus come very close to the in vivo situation. Several organs (brain, kidney, liver, lung, heart) from animals and humans, as well as cancers (glioblastoma multiforme, breast cancer, gastric cancer) can be used as organotypic cultures. Use of organotypic cultures leads to a reduction of animals, because every animal gives rise to several organotypic cultures that can be treated in different ways (for example cytotoxicity testing). Further biochemical, morphological and physiological changes can be measured in a few organotypic cultures instead of sacrificing animals for every single question.

CONTACT
Silke Patz
Medical University of Graz
silke.patz@medunigraz.at

photo credits: Copyright Medical University Graz

Human ex vivo skin model for short and long-term experiments

• Complementary to preclinical and clinical studies
• Histologic and molecular characterisation of biopsies
• Open flow microperfusion (OFM): Biomarker analysis (in cooperation with JOANNEUM RESEARCH)
• Mimicking burn injury
• Skin inflammation
• Biomarker mobilization (miRNAs, cytokines)
• Wound healing and Scarring
• Inflammation
• Treatment validation

CONTACT
Petra Kotzbeck
Medical University of Graz
petra.kotzbeck@medunigraz.at

photo credits: Copyright Medical University Graz

3-D Models with various levels of complexity Build-Up Models from isolated juvenile skin cells > autologous models

• RHE (reconstructed human epidermis)
• SE (skin equivalent)

Ex-Plant Culture
skin punches from juvenile foreskin in defined sizes

• hOSEC (human organotypic skin explant culture)
• culture media without animal dervied supplements
• topical / subcutaneous administration of testing compounds (cremes, chemicals,...)
• analysis of:
  • culture media (cytokine expression/cytotoxicity, …)
  • histological changes (HE staining, specific markers, ...)

CONTACT
Astrid Wurbs
Medical University of Graz
astrid.wurbs@medunigraz.at

photo credits: Copyright Medical University Graz

Biobank Graz is a central research infrastructure at the Medical University of Graz and coordinates joint biobanking in close collaboration with its clinical partners. Biobank Graz actively collects, processes, stores and delivers high quality biospecimen and associated data to the research community according to national and international legal and ethical standards in biobanking. The available biological specimen include formalin-fixed paraffinembedded (FFPE) tissues, cryopreserved tissues and biological fluids. More information can be found on the Biobank Graz webpage: biobank.medunigraz.at Special attention is paid to sample quality. The facility is ISO 9001:2015 certified. Depending on experimental demands, prospective cohorts are collected according to appropriate CEN/ISO standards. Services of Biobank Graz:

• Provision of retrospective samples and data
• Project development and implementation
• Planning and realization of prospective study cohorts
• Integration of pre-existing collections into Biobank Graz

CONTACT
Biobank Graz
Medical University of Graz
biobank@medunigraz.at

photo credit: Copyright AG Zatloukal

Ex-vivo organ slices derived from human surgically resected organs serve as short-term in-vitro models and alternatives (3R’s) to animal experiments. These models offer advantages over classical 2D cell culture systems and organoid models by preserving the functional properties, the cellular heterogeneity, and the structural architecture of the original organ for a defined period. The generation of PCOS from human specimens can be instrumental in addressing specific research questions across various applications, including:

• Host-pathogen interaction studies (focus and experience on human respiratory viruses)
• Testing of antivirals and small molecules
• Drug screening, drug metabolism and toxicity

Standard histology and molecular biology methods can be applied to PCOS as read-outs, including immunohistochemical staining, gene expression analyses, and protein analyses.

• Established for lung tissue
• Kidney and liver (currently in establishment phase)

CONTACT
AG Zatloukal
Medical University of Graz
PCOS-pathologie@medunigraz.at