🔬 Wound Healing & Migration Assay System

Scratch Maker —
24 Identical Scratches in 60 Seconds

Light-based photonic technology. No pipette tip. No cell damage. No variability. Create precise, reproducible scratches and monitor cell migration continuously inside the incubator — 24 wells in parallel.

60s
full 24-well scratch
24
wells in parallel
0
cell damage
50+
peer-reviewed publications
Complete end-to-end solution

A New Standard in Reproducible Scratch Creation

The Scratch Maker system delivers a complete, integrated migration assay workflow — from scratch creation to live monitoring and automated analysis. Powered by light, not mechanics.

zenCELL Scratch Maker complete wound healing assay workflow

Light-Based Photonic Scratch Technology

The Scratch Maker uses advanced light-based photonic technology to generate precise, consistent scratches across multiple surfaces simultaneously. This eliminates all variability associated with manual pipette tip methods.

  • No mechanical contact — cell layer preserved
  • ECM fully intact after scratch
  • No cell debris in the gap
  • Identical scratch position in every well, every time
  • Complete 24-well plate in 60 seconds
zenCELL Scratch Maker device — light-based photonic scratch system
zenCELL Scratch Maker creating precise scratches on cell culture plate

Precision You Can Reproduce — Every Time

A precisely engineered device creates a uniform scratch in the exact same position in every well. The full scratch process is completed in 60 seconds — then the plate goes straight into the zenCELL owl for continuous monitoring.

  • Single button press to start
  • Mask-guided positioning for reproducible scratch location
  • Suitable for cell migration studies, wound healing and advanced cell culture research
  • Compatible with zenCELL owl coated plates
Overview of the end-to-end solution

Three Components — One Complete System

The Scratch Maker system combines specialized consumables, the scratch device and the zenCELL owl imaging system into one seamless workflow.

Coated glass-bottom plates for zenCELL Scratch Maker migration assay
Component 01
Coated Plates

Glass-bottom plates with specialized surface coatings optimized for migration assays. Fully compatible with the Scratch Maker light-based technology and the zenCELL owl imaging system.

zenCELL Scratch Maker device
Component 02
Scratch Maker

A precisely engineered device that creates a uniform scratch in the exact same position every time. Full scratch process completed in 60 seconds. Light-based — no mechanical damage to cells or ECM.

zenCELL owl incubator microscope for live migration monitoring
Component 03
zenCELL owl

An optimized live-cell imaging solution for continuous monitoring of 24 scratch assays directly inside the incubator. Short- and long-term experiments without opening the incubator door.

Step-by-step process

From Cells to Data — 4 Steps

A complete and integrated workflow designed to deliver accurate, reproducible, and efficient migration assays — from scratch creation to final analysis.

1

Cell Cultivation

Cultivate cells on coated plates using your standard laboratory workflow. No protocol changes required.

2

Scratch Creation

Place the plate into the Scratch Maker, position the mask accurately, press one button. 24 identical scratches in 60 seconds.

3

Live Monitoring

Transfer the plate to the zenCELL owl. Monitor cell migration continuously inside the incubator — 24/7 without opening the door.

4

Results & Analysis

The zenCELL owl software enhances results in under 20 seconds. Automated algorithms analyse migration assays efficiently and accurately.

Migration monitoring

High-Resolution Live Imaging — Continuous & Automated

High-resolution live imaging provides continuous visualization of cell migration, delivering clear insights into cell behaviour over time — without a single manual imaging step.

zenCELL owl continuous migration monitoring timelapse strip
🧬
ECM Preserved

Light-based scratch leaves the extracellular matrix fully intact — cells migrate on a biologically relevant surface, not a bare substrate.

🔬
No Cell Debris

No dead cells or fragments in the gap. Clean scratch edges. No interference with migration tracking or inflammatory signals.

📊
True Physiological Migration

Cells grow into the gap from below — mimicking the physiology of wound healing, invasion and tissue repair. Publication-quality data.

🔄
24 Wells in Parallel

Run 24 conditions simultaneously — drug screening, dose-response, cell line comparison. All monitored continuously inside the incubator.

Results in Under 20 Seconds

The zenCELL owl software analyses migration data automatically. Quantitative results without manual image evaluation.

📡
Monitor from Anywhere

Check migration progress from your PC, tablet or phone. No lab visits required during the assay. Alerts when key milestones are reached.

50+
peer-reviewed publications cite zenCELL owl for migration and wound healing assays
View all publications →
FAQ

Scratch Maker — Common Questions

How does the Scratch Maker differ from a manual pipette tip scratch?+
The Scratch Maker uses light-based photonic technology to create scratches without any mechanical contact. This means the cell layer beneath is preserved, the extracellular matrix remains intact, and there is no cell debris in the gap. A manual pipette tip destroys cells and ECM completely, creating artefacts that interfere with the migration readout and reducing reproducibility to near zero.
How long does it take to create scratches in a 24-well plate?+
The complete scratch process for a full 24-well plate takes 60 seconds with a single button press. The mask ensures identical scratch position in every well — no manual repositioning required between wells.
Is the Scratch Maker suitable for drug screening?+
Yes. The 24-well parallel format combined with continuous live-cell monitoring enables high-information drug screening. Run 24 drug conditions, concentrations or cell lines simultaneously. The physiological approach means compound effects are measured on true migration biology — not artefacts of mechanical damage.
Does the Scratch Maker work with standard cell culture plates?+
The Scratch Maker works with the specialized coated glass-bottom plates supplied as part of the system. These plates have optimized surface coatings for migration assays and are fully compatible with the light-based scratch technology and the zenCELL owl imaging system.
Can I get a demo before purchasing?+
Yes — we offer fully remote live demos twice a week via MS Teams. You see the complete workflow live: scratch creation, zenCELL owl monitoring, and automated data analysis. Bring your specific cell line or assay questions. Book your free demo below.

See the Scratch Maker Live —
Free Remote Demo

Watch a live migration assay — scratch creation, live monitoring, automated analysis. No obligation, no credit card. Twice per week via MS Teams.

Free via MS Teams Twice per week No commitment Response within 24h
Vue en direct

See zenCELL owl
live, 30 min, free online

Real cells. Real data. Real comparison. Watch AI cell counting, XYZ stage and full software live inside a real incubator — twice a week via MS Teams.

Full course of live cell imaging

Get your free live online demonstration of the zenCELL owl directly inside an incubator, available twice per week.

Remote-Demo

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