In setting up your 3D Experiment, we first encourage you to read the FAQ What to do in my first experiment with QGel matrix? and then ask yourself three key questions:

1. How many different time points do you want?
2. How many different media conditions and cell lines do you wish to test?
3. Which biological assays do you wish to consider?

QGel™ has prepared a table to help you design your experiment with QGel™ products (see example below). It allows you to determine quickly the number of QGel™ vials and QGel™ Disc Casters you need for your experiment.

This table guides you to answer the above three questions by having you address the following points: 

• How long should your experiment last?
• How many and what is the frequency of time points you need?
• Which cell types and concentrations do you want to test?
• Which and how many QGel™ MT 3D Matrix products do you need?
• Which media conditions do you want to test?
• How do you want to analyze the 3D gels after cell culture (immunostaining, DNA content, RNA extraction, ...)?

Note 1: always plan to make a little bit more gels that your experiment actually require because a few gels may be damaged sometimes during the harvesting process. This especially if handling 3D gel discs is something new for you.

Note 2: make sure you have the different kit and protocols for the different analysis as well as that the machines you need at the different time points are booked.

Note 3: Finally, once everything is ready,  please make sure you watched the video How to encapsulate cells in QGel before starting making gel discs out of QGel™ MT 3D Matrix and you read the FAQ .