It has been shown that an estimated 70% of cancer cells can cluster together and form higher-order structures that are referred to as tumoroids or spheroids, which then proliferate to make larger, more complex and multi-layered structures. The cells in the center of the tumoroid are exposed to a hypoxic environment and the core can become necrotic, which more closely resembles the inner tumor mass in vivo. This special behavior of cancer cells cannot easily be mimicked in a classical 2D cell culture environment. This provides a compelling argument for the adoption of tumoroid-enabling 3D cell culture techniques for oncology research. Please select your area of interest from the navigation above to learn more.
The Benefits of RAFTTM 3D Cancer Models
- Cancer cell lines from breast, liver and lung cancer have shown tumoroid structure formation in RAFTTM 3D System
- The cancer cells are being studied in a biologically relevant collagen environment. Therefore the cells can interact with the matrix through matrix-metallo-protease activity and integrin/DDR cell surface receptors and signaling cascades
- The cultures are amenable to various assays allowing the generation of dose-response curves. Assays that have been shown to be compatible with the RAFTTM System are: Cell proliferation assays, Mitochondrial function assays, Cell signaling assays, and Protein phosphorylation assays