Glass Bottom Dishes

MatTek's Glass Bottom Culture Dishes allow researchers to produce high-resolution microscopic images of cultures growing in standard-size disposable plastic petri dishes. We manufacture Glass Bottom Culture Dishes using high volume, automated procedures to ensure both lot-to-lot reproducibility and cost-effective pricing to the end-user.

Dish Diameter

We offer glass bottom dishes in 35 and 50 mm diameters. The 35 mm dishes are manufactured by Corning Incorporated, and the 50 mm dishes are Falcon dishes manufactured by BD Biosciences.

From the Product Selection Guide:
The 35 mm dishes are used for most applications. The 50 mm dishes are usually chosen for microinjection work because of their larger diameter and lower side walls that allow for easier access to the cells ... read more

From the Glass Bottom Dishes FAQ:
Q: Why are the 50 mm glass bottom dishes useful for microinjection and maintaining a constant atmosphere in the dish?
A: The 50 mm glass bottom dishes (part #'s beginning with P50G) are useful for:
a) Microinjection: The larger diameter (50 mm) and the lower side wall (7 mm) allows easier access to cells in microinjection experiments ... read more

Glass Diameter

The first step in our automated dish production process is to precisely cut a 7, 10, 14, or 20 mm diameter opening in the center of standard 35 mm Corning or 50 mm Falcon culture dish.
Note: Not all combinations of glass diameter, thickness, and coating are possible. See the product and price list (pdf) for available dish configurations.

From the Product Selection Guide:
For most applications, a 14 mm glass microwell is sufficient. Choose the 20 mm diameter microwell to maximize viewing area ... read more

Glass Thickness

Next, a high quality German glass coverslip of standard thickness (typically No. 0, No. 1.0, or No. 1.5) is attached to the bottom of each dish covering the opening. These coverslips are high quality borosilicate glass of the highest hydrolytic consistency and are well adapted for a broad variety of high resolution microscopy applications.
Note: Not all combinations of glass diameter, thickness, and coating are possible. See the product and price list (pdf) for available dish configurations.

From the Product Selection Guide:
The No. 0 coverslip gives you the most working distance. Some objectives are designed to work best with a No. 1.0 coverslip ... read more

From the Glass Bottom Dishes FAQ:
Q: What are the thicknesses of the different coverslips used in the glass bottom dishes?
A: The thickness of the glass coverslips depends on the Coverslip No., as follows:

Coverslip No.	Thickness (mm)
0	0.085-0.13
1.0	0.13-0.16
1.5	0.16-0.19
2.0	0.19-0.23

... read more

Coating

Glass bottom dishes come uncoated or coated with poly-d-lysine or collagen in order to facilitate growth of your specific cell type. The coatings are monolayer coatings which do not affect the optical properties of the glass bottom dishes.
Note: Not all combinations of glass diameter, thickness, and coating are possible. See the product and price list (pdf) for available dish configurations.

From the Product Selection Guide:
If your cells do not grow on uncoated glass, try our poly-d-lysine coated (P35GC and P50GC series) or collagen coated dishes (P35GCOL series). Poly-d-lysine is used for neuronal research since most neurons will not grow on un-coated glass. It is also useful for other primary cells as well. For other cell types such as endothelial, hepatocytes or muscle cells, collagen coating helps with cell attachment, spreading and rapid expansion of cell populations ... read more

From the Glass Bottom Dishes FAQ:
Q: What type of glass bottom dish should I use to grow my cells?
A: Many transformed or cancerous cell lines will grow on uncoated dishes. Poly-lysine coated dishes work well for neuronal culture and for many primary cells ... read more

Applications

Microscopic applications in which these glass bottom dishes are routinely used include: Confocal Microscopy, High Resolution Microscopy, Fluorescence Imaging, Live Cell Imaging, Phase Contrast Microscopy, Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy, Polarized Light Microscopy, Time Lapsed Photography, and Video-Enhanced Microscopy. Our glass bottom dishes are also used in studies that incorporate green fluorescent protein (GFP) and microinjection techniques.

From the Glass Bottom Dishes FAQ:
Q: Are the glass bottom dishes good for fluorescence microscopy?
A: Yes. The glass bottom dishes are excellent for fluorescent microscopy. Important glass properties are. ... read more

Custom sized dishes

For special orders, see our custom size Glass Bottom Dishes info page. We can make custom dishes with alternate glass diameters, using alternative dish brands, or a variety of other customizations.

From the Glass Bottom Dishes FAQ:
Q: Other than the standard 10mm and 14mm hole sizes, do the glass bottom dishes come with any alternative hole diameters?
A: Dishes with 5, 7, and 30 mm diameter holes are available on a special order basis. The 5 and 7 mm holes are useful when very expensive reagents need to be conserved. The 30 mm holes maximize the surface area for cell growth ... read more

Free Sample

We encourage first time users to request a free sample to ensure the dish is appropriate for their specific cell type and microscopy application.

Purchasing

Once you have tested our dishes or you are ready to order, please review our product & price list and use the order form to submit your order.

Not sure what dish to choose? See our Product Selection Guide to help you choose a Glass Bottom Dish or Multi-Well Plate that will suit your need.

Sample Images

These images show only a small sample of dishes we make. All available configurations of diameters, glass thicknesses, coatings, etc., can be found on the product & price list.

	35mm Dishes	50mm Dishes
Side view			Side view
7mm glass No. 0 thickness			14mm glass No. 0 thickness
10mm glass No. 1.5 thickness			30mm glass No. 0 thickness
14mm glass No. 1.5 thickness
20mm glass No. 0 thickness