title: Development of size-customized hepatocarcinoma spheroids as a potential drug testing platform using a sacrificial gelatin microsphere system.
abstract: Sacrificial gelatin microspheres can be developed as a cell delivery vehicle for non-anchorage dependent cells - its incorporation into a macroscopic scaffold system not only allows the cells to be cultured in suspension within cavities left behind by the sacrificial material, it also allows scaffold-free tissue development to be confined within the cavities. In this study, dense and highly viable hepatocarcinoma spheroids were developed by means of encapsulation in sacrificial gelatin microspheres produced via a simple water-in-oil emulsion technique. By initial selection of microsphere size and distribution, spheroid size can be controlled for various applications such as uniform tumor spheroids as a reproducible three-dimensional drug screening and testing platform that better mimics the in vivo nature of tumors (instead of conventional monolayer culture), as this study has suggested as a proof-of-concept with chemotherapy drug Doxorubicin.
authors.affiliation: Division of BioEngineering, School of Chemical & Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 70 Nanyang Drive, N1.3-B2-13, Singapore 637457, Singapore. Electronic address: WLeong1@e.ntu.edu.sg.
authors.forename: Wenyan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Leong
authors.affiliation: Division of BioEngineering, School of Chemical & Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 70 Nanyang Drive, N1.3-B2-13, Singapore 637457, Singapore; Department for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, University Hospital Würzburg, Röntgenring 11, 97070 Würzburg, Germany. Electronic address: Antje.Kremer@uni-wuerzburg.de.
authors.forename: Antje
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kremer
authors.affiliation: Division of BioEngineering, School of Chemical & Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 70 Nanyang Drive, N1.3-B2-13, Singapore 637457, Singapore. Electronic address: DAWang@ntu.edu.sg.
authors.forename: Dong-An
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000464:Alginates / Q000737:chemistry; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005780:Gelatin / Q000737:chemistry*; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008863:Microspheres; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D018874:Spheroids, Cellular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D004317:Doxorubicin; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D005780:Gelatin; D004247:DNA
keywords: 3D drug testing model; Cell encapsulation; Sacrificial microsphere; Tumor spheroid formation