title: Three-dimensional cell culture: a breakthrough in vivo.
abstract: Cell culture is an important tool for biological research. Two-dimensional cell culture has been used for some time now, but growing cells in flat layers on plastic surfaces does not accurately model the in vivo state. As compared to the two-dimensional case, the three-dimensional (3D) cell culture allows biological cells to grow or interact with their surroundings in all three dimensions thanks to an artificial environment. Cells grown in a 3D model have proven to be more physiologically relevant and showed improvements in several studies of biological mechanisms like: cell number monitoring, viability, morphology, proliferation, differentiation, response to stimuli, migration and invasion of tumor cells into surrounding tissues, angiogenesis stimulation and immune system evasion, drug metabolism, gene expression and protein synthesis, general cell function and in vivo relevance. 3D culture models succeed thanks to technological advances, including materials science, cell biology and bioreactor design.
authors.affiliation: Radiotherapy Department, Paul Strauss Cancer Center, 3, rue de la Porte de l'Hôpital, 67065 Strasbourg Cedex, France. dantoni@strasbourg.unicancer.fr.|Radiobiology Laboratory, EA 3430, Strasbourg University, Paul Strauss Cancer Center, 3, rue de la Porte de l'Hôpital, 67065 Strasbourg Cedex, France. dantoni@strasbourg.unicancer.fr.
authors.forename: Delphine
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Antoni
authors.affiliation: Radiobiology Laboratory, EA 3430, Strasbourg University, Paul Strauss Cancer Center, 3, rue de la Porte de l'Hôpital, 67065 Strasbourg Cedex, France. hburckel@strasbourg.unicancer.fr.
authors.forename: Hélène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Burckel
authors.affiliation: Radiobiology Laboratory, EA 3430, Strasbourg University, Paul Strauss Cancer Center, 3, rue de la Porte de l'Hôpital, 67065 Strasbourg Cedex, France. ejosset@strasbourg.unicancer.fr.
authors.forename: Elodie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Josset
authors.affiliation: Radiotherapy Department, Paul Strauss Cancer Center, 3, rue de la Porte de l'Hôpital, 67065 Strasbourg Cedex, France. gnoel@strasbourg.unicancer.fr.|Radiobiology Laboratory, EA 3430, Strasbourg University, Paul Strauss Cancer Center, 3, rue de la Porte de l'Hôpital, 67065 Strasbourg Cedex, France. gnoel@strasbourg.unicancer.fr.
authors.forename: Georges
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Noel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D061251:Primary Cell Culture / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D018874:Spheroids, Cellular / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*