Generation of 3D Tumor Spheroids for Drug Evaluation Studies

In recent decades, in addition to monolayer-cultured cells, three-dimensional tumor spheroids have been developed as a potentially powerful tool for the evaluation of anticancer drugs. However, the conventional culture methods lack the ability to manipulate the tumor spheroids in a homogeneous manner at the three-dimensional level. To address this limitation, in this paper, we present a convenient and effective method of constructing average-sized tumor spheroids. Additionally, we describe a method of image-based analysis using artificial intelligence-based analysis software that can scan the whole plate and obtain data on three-dimensional spheroids. Several parameters were studied. By using a standard method of tumor spheroid construction and a high-throughput imaging and analysis system, the effectiveness and accuracy of drug tests performed on three-dimensional spheroids can be dramatically increased.

Automated summary

In addition to monolayer-cultured cells, three-dimensional tumor spheroids have been developed as a potentially powerful tool for evaluating anticancer drugs. However, conventional culture methods lack the ability to manipulate tumor spheroids in a homogeneous manner at the three-dimensional level. This paper presents a convenient and effective method for constructing average-sized tumor spheroids. Furthermore, it describes an image-based analysis method using artificial intelligence-based software to scan the entire plate and obtain data on three-dimensional spheroids. Several parameters were studied. By using a standardized method of tumor spheroid construction and a high-throughput imaging and analysis system, the effectiveness and accuracy of drug tests performed on three-dimensional spheroids can be significantly improved.