Plate inserts are laboratory tools used in multi-well plates to create separate compartments within each well. They consist of a frame that fits into the well of a multi-well plate and a membrane that is mounted onto the frame. The membrane acts as a barrier that allows for the separation of different cell types or samples while still allowing for the exchange of nutrients and signaling molecules between the compartments.
Plate inserts are commonly used in cell culture experiments to study cell-cell interactions, cell migration, and drug screening. They allow researchers to create co-culture systems, where two or more cell types can be grown together in a single well, or transwell systems, where cells can be grown on one side of the membrane while a drug or molecule is added to the other side to study its effects.