COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF CULTIVATION TECHNIQUES FOR MCF-7 TUMOR CELLS: AGAROSE SEEDING, ALGINATE MIXING, AND 3D...

The development of 3D tissue models has provided a more physiologically relevant platform to study cancer biology and test therapeutic interventions compared to conventional 2D cell culture systems. This study was designed to explore and evaluate three different methods to create a 3D biomimetic hydrogel platform for the growth of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. Three different methods were used to engineer 3D-printed sodium alginate hydrogels for the formation of tumoroids. The results demonstrated that the 3D-printed hydrogel scaffold facilitated cell-cell interactions and facilitated the development of a tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, quantitative analysis using ImageJ revealed that Method 3, a FRESH printing method, provided the most suitable environment for the proliferation and growth of MCF-7 cells into tumoroids, allowing the study of tumor growth, invasion, and response to therapy in a controlled and reproducible manner. This system, as evidenced by qualitative microscopy images and quantitative ImageJ analysis, highlights its promise for applications in drug screening, therapeutic planning, and personalized medicine. Further optimization and characterization of this platform could lead to more accurate and reliable in vitro cancer models, reducing reliance on animal studies and advancing cancer therapy approaches.