Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 5, 2026
Unveiling Therapeutic Opportunities with Melanoma Patient-derived Organoid Models
Published on: September 6, 2024
Planar neural organoids as an advanced in vitro model to study patient-derived melanoma metastasis
Joydeb Majumder1, Elizabeth E Torr1, Peter F Favreau2
1Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA.
Abstract:
Metastasis, which occurs when cancer cells spread from their original site in the body to other organs - is the leading cause of death in cancer patients. Conventional two-dimensional (2D) cell cultures along with orthotopic animal models are widely used to study and develop therapeutics for metastatic cancers. However, 2D cell cultures do not accurately reflect the physiology of real tissues, and the results obtained from the orthotopic animal models cannot always be applied to humans due to the interspecies differences. The recent emergence of human organoid models provides unique opportunities to study the complex cellular interactions in a near-physiological 3D environment. In this study, we have engineered an in vitro melanoma metastasis model using patient-derived melanoma cells and human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)-derived planar neural organoids (PNOs). We investigated metastatic cancer processes such as the growth of melanoma cells, and evaluated the effects of anti-cancer drug treatment on it. Our results demonstrated that the 3D PNO system served as a more effective in vitro model than conventional 2D cultures to study melanoma brain metastases, and this PNO system can also be used to model other types of poorly understood metastatic cancers under physiological environments.
Insights
This study introduces a novel 3D organoid model for studying melanoma brain metastasis. The human organoid system offers a more accurate in vitro platform than traditional 2D cultures for cancer research.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Biomedical Engineering
- Stem Cell Biology
Background:
- Metastasis is the primary cause of cancer-related mortality.
- Current models like 2D cultures and animal studies have limitations in mimicking human physiology.
- Human organoid models offer a promising 3D environment for studying complex cellular interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To engineer an in vitro melanoma metastasis model using patient-derived cells and human organoids.
- To investigate melanoma cell growth and evaluate anti-cancer drug efficacy within this 3D model.
- To establish a more physiologically relevant platform for studying metastatic cancers.
Main Methods:
- Utilized patient-derived melanoma cells.
- Developed a 3D model using human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)-derived planar neural organoids (PNOs).
- Investigated melanoma cell metastasis and drug response in the PNO system.
Main Results:
- The 3D PNO system demonstrated superior performance compared to conventional 2D cultures for modeling melanoma brain metastases.
- The engineered model effectively simulated metastatic cancer processes in a near-physiological environment.
- The study validated the potential of PNOs for evaluating anti-cancer drug treatments.
Conclusions:
- The 3D PNO system represents a significant advancement over 2D cultures for studying melanoma brain metastasis.
- This organoid model provides a valuable tool for understanding and developing therapies for poorly understood metastatic cancers.
- The PNO platform facilitates in vitro research under more realistic physiological conditions.
