Authors
Creative Bioarray
Summary
Three-dimensional (3D) cell culture is a technique to artificially create an environment close to the living conditions in vivo, which can permit cells to grow or interact with their surroundings in all three dimensions. Actually, most cells in vivo exist in complex 3D structures, which include different cell types within extracellular matrix. Compared to 2D cell cultures, 3D cell culture can provide more meaningful scientific conclusions and accurate insight into pathogenesis. Therefore, 3D cell cultures have been widely used in the study of disease mechanisms, drug discovery, drug testing, and tissue engineering.
Introduction
At present, two categories techniques, scaffold-based methods and scaffold-free approaches have been developed for 3D cell culture. Scaffold 3D cell culture allows cells to grow in all directions on a scaffold, such as hydrogels or inert matrices. Scaffolds, which mimic the in vivo extracellular matrix (ECM), can provide attachment sites and microenvironment for cells. 3D cell culture can also be grown without the scaffold. Various methods, such as low adhesion plates, hanging drop plates, micropatterned surfaces, magnetic 3D bioprinting, and rotating bioreactors, can be used for scaffold-free 3D cell culture.
Anticipated results
Better mimic tissue-like structures and in vivo like microenvironments.
More phenotypically accurate than conventional 2D cell cultures.
Increased cell-to-cell and cell-to-ECM interactions.
Exhibit differentiated cellular functions.
Possible to co-culture with two or more different cell types.
Can stimulate microenvironment conditions, such as oxygen, nutrient, metabolities and drug concentration gradients.
Better predict in vivo responses to drug treatment and more accurately predict efficacy or toxicity of drugs.
Create more predictive in vitro cell models for numerous applications, such as cancer research and drug discovery.
Some animal experiments may be replaced by 3D models built with human cells to reduce cost and shorten period in drug discovery.
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