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Updated: Dec 24, 2025
Generation of High-Throughput Three-Dimensional Tumor Spheroids for Drug Screening
Published on: September 5, 2018
Dynamic Culture Systems and 3D Interfaces Models for Cancer Drugs Testing
Diogo C Fernandes1,2, Raphaël F Canadas3,4, Rui L Reis1,2,5
13B's Research Group, I3Bs - Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Barco, Guimarães, Portugal.
Dynamic 3D in vitro models using bioreactors and microfluidics offer a human-based alternative to animal models for reliable drug discovery. These systems advance cancer research by studying tumor interfaces and enabling high-throughput drug screening.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Biological agents, including vaccines and antibiotics, revolutionized pharmaceuticals.
- Dynamic systems like bioreactors, initially used in food fermentation, are now crucial for pharmaceutical development.
- Tissue engineering has advanced in vitro models using dynamic systems, reducing reliance on animal models.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore recent 3D in vitro modeling approaches for tumor interfaces using dynamic systems.
- To highlight the contributions of these systems to understanding cancer aggressiveness and drug resistance.
- To discuss the application of these models in high-throughput drug screening and industrial translation.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing dynamic systems, including bioreactors and microfluidic devices.
- Developing three-dimensional (3D) in vitro models with human-based samples (cells or tissues).
- Investigating tumor interfaces and their role in cancer progression and drug efficacy.
Main Results:
- 3D dynamic in vitro models provide a more reliable platform for drug discovery compared to animal models.
- These models enhance understanding of cancer aggressiveness, including cellular invasion and motility.
- The systems show promise in predicting resistance to chemotherapeutic agents.
Conclusions:
- 3D dynamic in vitro models are essential for overcoming limitations of animal models in drug development, especially for complex cancers.
- These advanced models facilitate individualized study of tumor interfaces, crucial for effective drug design.
- Integration into high-throughput drug screening platforms offers significant potential for industrial translation and future cancer therapeutics.
