scholarly journals Natural and Synthetic Biomaterials for Engineering Multicellular Tumor Spheroids

Polymers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 2506
Author(s):  
Advika Kamatar ◽  
Gokhan Gunay ◽  
Handan Acar

The lack of in vitro models that represent the native tumor microenvironment is a significant challenge for cancer research. Two-dimensional (2D) monolayer culture has long been the standard for in vitro cell-based studies. However, differences between 2D culture and the in vivo environment have led to poor translation of cancer research from in vitro to in vivo models, slowing the progress of the field. Recent advances in three-dimensional (3D) culture have improved the ability of in vitro culture to replicate in vivo conditions. Although 3D cultures still cannot achieve the complexity of the in vivo environment, they can still better replicate the cell–cell and cell–matrix interactions of solid tumors. Multicellular tumor spheroids (MCTS) are three-dimensional (3D) clusters of cells with tumor-like features such as oxygen gradients and drug resistance, and represent an important translational tool for cancer research. Accordingly, natural and synthetic polymers, including collagen, hyaluronic acid, Matrigel®, polyethylene glycol (PEG), alginate and chitosan, have been used to form and study MCTS for improved clinical translatability. This review evaluates the current state of biomaterial-based MCTS formation, including advantages and disadvantages of the different biomaterials and their recent applications to the field of cancer research, with a focus on the past five years.

Pharmaceutics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 1186
Author(s):  
Bárbara Pinto ◽  
Ana C. Henriques ◽  
Patrícia M. A. Silva ◽  
Hassan Bousbaa

Most cancer biologists still rely on conventional two-dimensional (2D) monolayer culture techniques to test in vitro anti-tumor drugs prior to in vivo testing. However, the vast majority of promising preclinical drugs have no or weak efficacy in real patients with tumors, thereby delaying the discovery of successful therapeutics. This is because 2D culture lacks cell–cell contacts and natural tumor microenvironment, important in tumor signaling and drug response, thereby resulting in a reduced malignant phenotype compared to the real tumor. In this sense, three-dimensional (3D) cultures of cancer cells that better recapitulate in vivo cell environments emerged as scientifically accurate and low cost cancer models for preclinical screening and testing of new drug candidates before moving to expensive and time-consuming animal models. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of 3D tumor systems and highlight the strategies for spheroid construction and evaluation tools of targeted therapies, focusing on their applicability in cancer research. Examples of the applicability of 3D culture for the evaluation of the therapeutic efficacy of nanomedicines are discussed.


Author(s):  
Loh Teng Hern Tan ◽  
Liang Ee Low ◽  
Siah Ying Tang ◽  
Wei Hsum Yap ◽  
Lay Hong Chuah ◽  
...  

Three-dimensional cell culture methods revolutionize the field of anticancer drug discovery, forming an important link-bridge between conventional in vitro and in vivo models and conferring significant clinical and biological relevant data. The current work presents an affordable yet reproducible method of generating homogenous 3D tumor spheroids. Also, a new open source software is adapted to perform an automated image analysis of 3D tumor spheroids and subsequently generate a list of morphological parameters of which could be utilized to determine the response of these spheroids toward treatments. Our data showed that this work could serve as a reliable 3D cell culture platform for preclinical cytotoxicity testing of natural products prior to the expensive and time-consuming animal models


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mengqi Zhu ◽  
Yuting Huang ◽  
Saiyan Bian ◽  
Qianqian Song ◽  
Jie Zhang ◽  
...  

Background: Understanding organogenesis, disorders, and repairing processes particularly important for understanding disease occurrence and developing treatment approaches. At present, liver-related studies are mainly conducted using in vivo models and cell lines, making it difficult to generalize the full picture of the structural characteristics and functions of human organs. Organoid is a three-dimensional (3D) culture system in vitro, which holds the promise to establish various disease models and conduct in-depth research by generating organ-like tissues in a dish. Recent advances of human liver organoids have provided us a deeper understanding of this complex organ. Conclusion: In this review, we provide a systematic overview of the construction methods of organoids, focusing on their applications in the hepatic organogenesis and various liver disease models, as well as the limitations of current models. The development of organoid models is proving to be crucial in future liver research.


2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 231-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Leary ◽  
Claire Rhee ◽  
Benjamin T. Wilks ◽  
Jeffrey R. Morgan

Accurately predicting the human response to new compounds is critical to a wide variety of industries. Standard screening pipelines (including both in vitro and in vivo models) often lack predictive power. Three-dimensional (3D) culture systems of human cells, a more physiologically relevant platform, could provide a high-throughput, automated means to test the efficacy and/or toxicity of novel substances. However, the challenge of obtaining high-magnification, confocal z stacks of 3D spheroids and understanding their respective quantitative limitations must be overcome first. To address this challenge, we developed a method to form spheroids of reproducible size at precise spatial locations across a 96-well plate. Spheroids of variable radii were labeled with four different fluorescent dyes and imaged with a high-throughput confocal microscope. 3D renderings of the spheroid had a complex bowl-like appearance. We systematically analyzed these confocal z stacks to determine the depth of imaging and the effect of spheroid size and dyes on quantitation. Furthermore, we have shown that this loss of fluorescence can be addressed through the use of ratio imaging. Overall, understanding both the limitations of confocal imaging and the tools to correct for these limits is critical for developing accurate quantitative assays using 3D spheroids.


2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 832-843 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weijing Yao ◽  
Qian Zha ◽  
Xu Cheng ◽  
Xin Wang ◽  
Jun Wang ◽  
...  

In this study, soy protein isolate was hydrolyzed by compound enzymes to give aqueous soy protein with low molecular weights. Folic acid modified and free soy protein nanoparticles were successfully prepared by a desolvation method as target-specific drug delivery, respectively. Ultraviolet spectrophotometry demonstrated that folic acid was successfully grafted onto soy protein. The shape and size of folic acid modified soy protein nanoparticles were detected by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscope, and dynamic light scattering. In addition, a series of characteristics including kinetic stability, pH stability, and time stability were also performed. Doxorubicin was successfully loaded into folic acid modified soy protein nanoparticles, and the encapsulation and loading efficiencies were 96.7% and 23%, respectively. Doxorubicin-loaded folic acid modified soy protein nanoparticles exhibited faster drug release rate than soy protein nanoparticles in PBS solution (pH = 5). The tumor penetration and antitumor experiments were done using three-dimensional multicellular tumor spheroids as the in vitro model. The results proved that folic acid modified soy protein nanoparticles display higher penetration and accumulation than soy protein nanoparticles, therefore possessing efficient growth inhibitory ability against multicellular tumor spheroids.


2019 ◽  
Vol 317 (3) ◽  
pp. C405-C419 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Almeqdadi ◽  
Miyeko D. Mana ◽  
Jatin Roper ◽  
Ömer H. Yilmaz

In vitro, cell cultures are essential tools in the study of intestinal function and disease. For the past few decades, monolayer cellular cultures, such as cancer cell lines or immortalized cell lines, have been widely applied in gastrointestinal research. Recently, the development of three-dimensional cultures known as organoids has permitted the growth of normal crypt-villus units that recapitulate many aspects of intestinal physiology. Organoid culturing has also been applied to study gastrointestinal diseases, intestinal-microbe interactions, and colorectal cancer. These models are amenable to CRISPR gene editing and drug treatments, including high-throughput small-molecule testing. Three-dimensional intestinal cultures have been transplanted into mice to develop versatile in vivo models of intestinal disease, particularly cancer. Limitations of currently available organoid models include cost and challenges in modeling nonepithelial intestinal cells, such as immune cells and the microbiota. Here, we describe the development of organoid models of intestinal biology and the applications of organoids for study of the pathophysiology of intestinal diseases and cancer.


2012 ◽  
Vol 303 (8) ◽  
pp. C862-C871 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vinita Takiar ◽  
Kavita Mistry ◽  
Monica Carmosino ◽  
Nicole Schaeren-Wiemers ◽  
Michael J. Caplan

The polarized organization of epithelial cells is required for vectorial solute transport and may be altered in renal cystic diseases. Vesicle integral protein of 17 kDa (VIP17/MAL) is involved in apical vesicle transport. VIP17/MAL overexpression in vivo results in renal cystogenesis of unknown etiology. Renal cystogenesis can occur as a consequence of defects of the primary cilium. To explore the role of VIP17/MAL in renal cystogenesis and ciliogenesis, we examined the polarization and ciliary morphology of wild-type and VIP17/MAL overexpressing Madin-Darby canine kidney renal epithelial cells grown in two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) cyst culture. VIP17/MAL is apically localized when expressed in cells maintained in 2D and 3D culture. VIP17/MAL overexpressing cells produce more multilumen cysts compared with controls. While the distributions of basolateral markers are not affected, VIP17/MAL expression results in aberrant sorting of the apical marker gp135 to the primary cilium. VIP17/MAL overexpression is also associated with shortened or absent cilia. Immunofluorescence analysis performed on kidney sections from VIP17/MAL transgenic mice also demonstrates fewer and shortened cilia within dilated lumens ( P < 0.01). These studies demonstrate that VIP17/MAL overexpression results in abnormal cilium and cyst development, in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that VIP17/MAL overexpressing mice may develop cysts secondary to a ciliary defect.


2021 ◽  
Vol 91 (1) ◽  
pp. 86-98
Author(s):  
S. S. Malchenkova ◽  
◽  
N. S. Golyak ◽  
V. M. Tsarenkov ◽  
◽  
...  

The article presents the main types of laboratory animals that are used to study the transdermal permeability of chemical compounds. We described the structural features of epidermis, derma and skin appendages in humans and laboratory animals (small rodents, pigs, monkeys). We also emphasized advantages and disadvantages of various laboratory animals as objects for in vivo transdermal modeling. A method of extrapolation called “The parallelogram method” or «Triple Pack» has been singled out to predict the permeability of the human skin in the presence of experimental data on the permeability of the skin of animals in vivo and humans in vitro. The article describes the experimental design (including preparation of animals, premises and the substance applied) to determine transdermal permeability of substances in vivo under the guidelines of the World Health Organization and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Tissue microdialysis in volunteers has been identified as the most perfect and safest ways to promptly detect substances in the derma and tape stripping has been made in the cells of the stratum corneum.


2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Justyna Sośniak ◽  
Jolanta Opiela

Abstract Most in vitro cell-based research is based on two-dimensional (2D) systems where growth and development take place on a flat surface, which does not reflect the natural environment of the cells. The imperfection and limitations of culture in 2D systems eventually led to the creation of three-dimensional (3D) culture models that more closely reproduce the actual conditions of physiological cell growth. Since the inception of 3D culture technology, many culture models have been developed, such as technologies of multicellular spheroids, organoids, and organs on chips in the technology of scaffolding, hydrogels, bio-printing and liquid media. In this review we will focus on the advantages and disadvantages of the 2D vs. 3D cell cultures technologies. We will also try to sum up available 3D cultures systems and materials for building 3D scaffolds.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document