3D cell culture becomes a routine tool that plays a vital role in life sciences, especially in cancer research, drug discovery and
toxicology. The approaches are still relatively new despite their early impact.There is still ambiguity in the robustness of culturing techniques, the readiness of the supply chain, and even the use of terminology depicting 3D morphology. The value of 3D cell cultures is defined by the increased dimensionality and access to contact between cells to generate a phenotype predictive of in vivo biology but performed in vitro. Cell-cell interaction is fundamental, independent of whether 3D structures are called spheroids, organoids, assembloids, or tumoroids, and of course, a phenotype is agnostic to terminology.
In preclinical drug discovery validation processes, monolayer cell cultures are still predominant. Nevertheless, 2D cultures can only mimic the conditions of physiological tissue to a limited extent, whereas cells in vivo are able to interact in a three-dimensional network. Therefore, results generated from 2D cultures may often be of limited relevance for clinical effectiveness and may contribute to high attrition rates in the drug development process. The employment of spheroid cultures is regarded as a better rational to develop more predictive in-vitro screening assays for preclinical drug development, especially in cancer research.
In spheroid cultures, cells grow in a three-dimensional system with zones of cellular heterogeneity and nutrient and oxygen gradients, to more closely reflect the in-vivo tumor microenvironment. Comparisons of spheroid cultures and 2D monolayer cultures showed functional differences in tumor cell lines, e.g. alterations in protein expression, phosphorylation patterns and responsiveness to inhibitor molecules.
The CELLSTAR® cell culture vessels with cell-repellent surfaces prevent cell adherence to promote the spontaneous formation of three-dimensional spheroids and as an essential accessory for the magnetic 3D cell culture technology (m3D)
The magnetic 3D cell culture technology (m3D) creates 3D cell culture structures by magnetizing cells and using magnet forces.
ThinCert® cell culture inserts to mimic a variety of in vivo situations by the two-compartment system.
Please contact us if you have any questions regarding our innovative 3D Cell Culture products!
Director of Global Business Development & Innovation 3D Cell Culture
