Ex Vivo Organotypic Brain Slice Models for Glioblastoma: A Systematic Review

This systematic review aims to evaluate ex vivo brain slice models in glioblastoma (GBM) research, with a specific focus on tumour invasion, tumour-microenvironment interactions, and therapeutic response.

A systematic search looking for studies employing ex vivo organotypic brain slice models in GBM research was conducted across multiple databases (January 2010-July 2025) in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. The study was registered in PROSPERO database (CRD420251138341). Inclusion criteria encompassed patient-derived brain slices, hybrid rodent-human slice co-cultures, and microfluidic-integrated ex vivo platforms designed to assess tumour invasion, microenvironmental interactions and therapeutic responses. Exclusion criteria included reviews, abstracts, conference proceedings, in vivo-only studies, purely in vitro models without organotypic integration, and studies not focused on GBM.

Twenty-six studies met the inclusion criteria. Among these, 18/26 (69%) investigated GBM invasion, 18/26 (69%) evaluated therapeutic responses, and 5/26 (19%) examined tumour-microenvironment interactions, with several studies spanning multiple domains. Across platforms, organotypic slices consistently recapitulated key features of GBM biology-including perivascular and white-matter-aligned invasion, stromal-immune interactions, and patient-specific drug sensitivity-while engineered systems enhanced perfusion and exposure control. Methodological variability, particularly regarding slice preparation, oxygenation and viability assessment, limits direct comparability between studies.

Organotypic brain slice models represent an extremely relevant tool for translational investigations of GBM biology and treatment response. However, substantial methodological heterogeneity together with limited standardisation hamper reproducibility and cross-study validation. Future work should focus on enhancing reproducibility and harmonising protocols to support the development of clinically meaningful precision oncology strategies.