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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 15, 2026

A Simple Hanging Drop Cell Culture Protocol for Generation of 3D Spheroids
07:24

A Simple Hanging Drop Cell Culture Protocol for Generation of 3D Spheroids

Published on: May 6, 2011

Spheroid culture as a tool for creating 3D complex tissues.

Eelco Fennema1, Nicolas Rivron, Jeroen Rouwkema

  • 1Department of Tissue Regeneration, MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands.

Trends in Biotechnology
|January 23, 2013
PubMed
Summary

Three-dimensional (3D) spheroid cell cultures offer high biological relevance for in vitro models. Advances in microfabrication and cell culture enable reproducible, complex tissue creation for high-throughput screening.

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Area of Science:

  • Biotechnology
  • Tissue Engineering
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • 3D cell culture models, particularly spheroid cultures, enhance the clinical and biological relevance of in vitro studies.
  • Spheroid cultures allow cells to secrete their own extracellular matrix (ECM) and interact within a native-like microenvironment.
  • The increasing utility of spheroid cultures is driven by advancements in microfabrication platforms and cell culture techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review emerging possibilities in spheroid culture.
  • To highlight the integration of spheroid culture with novel microenvironment fabrication methods.
  • To discuss the creation of large numbers of reproducible, complex tissues.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current literature on 3D cell culture, spheroid formation, and microfabrication.

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 15, 2026

A Simple Hanging Drop Cell Culture Protocol for Generation of 3D Spheroids
07:24

A Simple Hanging Drop Cell Culture Protocol for Generation of 3D Spheroids

Published on: May 6, 2011

Generation of Tissue Spheroids via a 3D Printed Stamp-Like Device
06:39

Generation of Tissue Spheroids via a 3D Printed Stamp-Like Device

Published on: October 6, 2022

Perfusable Vascular Network with a Tissue Model in a Microfluidic Device
07:05

Perfusable Vascular Network with a Tissue Model in a Microfluidic Device

Published on: April 4, 2018

  • Analysis of novel platforms enabling high-throughput screening (HTS) of spheroid cultures.
  • Exploration of methods for creating complex, reproducible microenvironments for spheroids.

    • Main Results:

    • 3D spheroid cultures provide superior biological and clinical relevance compared to traditional 2D models.
    • Microfabricated platforms facilitate high-throughput screening and the generation of numerous, consistent spheroid tissues.
    • Integration of spheroid culture with advanced microenvironment fabrication allows for the development of complex, in vivo-like tissue models.

    Conclusions:

    • Spheroid cultures represent a powerful tool for advancing in vitro modeling.
    • Novel microfabrication techniques combined with spheroid culture enable the creation of complex, reproducible tissues for research and drug screening.
    • This synergy significantly enhances the potential for developing more predictive and clinically relevant experimental models.