Three-dimensional (3D) cell culture for cancer research

Research models aim to reproduce natural phenomena with as much fidelity as possible, and one of the most important recent advances in this regard is three-dimensional (3D) cell culture. Compared to traditional two-dimensional (2D) cultures, 3D cell cultures are a more physiologically relevant environment since they provide dynamic simulation of cell-to-cell interactions and thus represent tumors more accurately. These characteristics allow for a better understanding of disease mechanisms and response to treatment; in this regard, 3D culture models can even reduce or replace animal testing.
3D culture includes but is not limited to spheroids –aggregation of cells into spherical clusters, which can better mimic the architecture and microenvironment of tumors–, scaffold-based cultures –cells grown with structural support for attachment–, and organoids –structures derived from stem cells or progenitor cells that mimic the architecture and functionality of actual organs. Cells derived from several cancer types, such as breast, pancreas, lung, and glioblastoma, among others, have been successfully cultured in 3D. These works have proven that cells organized in 3D behave differently, forming more complex cell-cell interactions and an extracellular matrix.
Currently, 3D culture is an active research area in itself and a platform for in-depth studies that are not attainable through regular, plate-based 2D cultures. This Collection welcomes original research papers and reviews in both avenues: those that add to the development of 3D cell culture for cancer research and those that seek to enhance our understanding of cancer biology through 3D cell culture strategies.