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Microfluidic Device for Recreating a Tumor Microenvironment in Vitro
Published on: November 20, 2011
Droplet-based microfluidic system for multicellular tumor spheroid formation and anticancer drug testing
Linfen Yu1, Michael C W Chen, Karen C Cheung
1University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Lab on a Chip
|August 10, 2010
Summary
This study developed a microfluidic system to create multicellular tumor spheroids for better anticancer drug testing. These spheroids showed increased drug resistance compared to traditional cell cultures.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Cancer Research
- Microfluidics
Background:
- Multicellular tumor spheroids offer a more accurate model for anticancer treatment evaluation than traditional monolayer cultures.
- Continuous dynamic perfusion is essential for long-term cell culture and spheroid development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a microfluidic system for generating and culturing multicellular tumor spheroids.
- To assess the efficacy of anticancer drugs on these spheroids and compare their response to monolayer cultures.
Main Methods:
- A droplet-based microfluidic system was employed to encapsulate breast tumor cells in alginate beads.
- Alginate beads were cultured in a continuous perfusion system within microsieve structures.
- The dose-dependent response of tumor spheroids to doxorubicin was evaluated.
Main Results:
- The alginate microenvironment supported cell proliferation and multicellular spheroid formation.
- Tumor spheroids exhibited greater resistance to doxorubicin compared to monolayer cultures.
- Microsieve structures enabled precise spatial and temporal tracking throughout the experiment.
Conclusions:
- The developed microfluidic system effectively generates multicellular tumor spheroids for drug screening.
- This model highlights multicellular resistance to anticancer drugs, offering insights for improved therapeutic strategies.
