Cell Culture
3D CELL CULTURE easier said than done!
The transition from cell culture on the flat surface of a conventional two- dimensional (2D) culture vessel to a three-dimensional (3D) environment, matrix or scaffold with 3D architecture has begun, and is providing much needed support for emerging applications in tissue engineering and stem cell research. Biomimetic scaffolds (eg hydrogel or collagen) have shown potential in culturing specific cell types and in investigating different aspects of the cell- matrix interaction in 3D. Structural scaffolds, made from the same material as 2D plate surfaces (ie polystyrene), would seem to be compatible with many routine (easy) 2D assays. Microfluidic devices with moulded microchannels incorporating biomimetic scaffolds are now available to support specific 3D applications, eg invasion assays and specific tumour cell models. Systems directly supporting the automation of 3D cell culture and/or tissue creation are beginning to emerge and should facilitate the scale up of cell production, but also impact how 3D generated cells are used in drug screening assays and how organs and tissues can be consistently produced. The prospect of developing more physiologically relevant 3D models systems for use in in vitro toxicology is particularly compelling. However, the state-of-the-art is still some way off from providing fully validated or robust 3D culture solutions and tools and the field remains open to major improvements at this point in time.
I
ncreasingly the term three-dimensional (3D) is being applied in relation to cell culture. Simplistically this involves growing cells in a 3D environment, matrix or on a scaffold with 3D architecture as opposed to the flat surface of a con- ventional two-dimensional (2D) culture vessel. However, what 3D cell culture encompasses is hard to define and varies widely depending upon the application. In most drug discovery areas and in stem cell research we are mainly talking about anchorage-dependent cell culture on a 3D scaffold, which can in the least demanding cases be made of the same material as the 2D surface, although often
Drug Discovery World Summer 2010
more complex biological gels or coatings are required. In tissue engineering and clinical research, and in some aspects of safety assessment and the delivery of stem cells, the focus is on actu- al organ and tissue development. In an attempt to bring some clarity to the subject, HTStec under- took a survey and report on 3D cell culture in February 20101.
Main advantages of 3D cell culture To better understand what is driving the investiga- tion of 3D cell culture, the survey first sought to identify what were perceived as the most important
25 By Dr John Comley
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92