Seen in 3D

Life, at every scale, is complex and three-dimensional. So research that only looks at biological processes in two-dimensional models will often miss important details relevant to real life. This is particularly true for research into gliomas – a type of brain tumour. To overcome these limitations, researchers developed a 3D-engineered scaffold on which to grow cells for examination and experimentation. The team implanted tumour cells derived from patients on the scaffold, and found they successfully colonised the structure (pictured). The cells were more similar to tumour cells in the body than those cultured on 2D surfaces tend to be, it was easier to monitor the growth of individual cells, and the population was more stable. The scaffolds could therefore be used to closely study the natural behaviour of tumour cells – hopefully spotting any weaknesses for new treatments to target – and be a platform to test the impact of potential anti-cancer drugs.

Written by Anthony Lewis

Anthony Lewis

Writer

Ant was the web editor in the early days of BPoD, and has since worked with the UK’s top science organisations as a writer and multimedia producer. He now splits his time between freelance work and managing multimedia at The Lancet.

Website

• Video from work by Nastaran Barin and colleagues
• Department of Precision and Microsystems Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, & Department of Neurology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
• Video originally published with a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
• Published in Small, October 2022