Cell Spheroids
Cell Spheroids - Related Videos
02:02
A Three-Dimensional Co-culture Model of Infiltrating T Cells in Tumor Spheroids
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2025
This video demonstrates a method to establish a three-dimensional tumor spheroid and T cell co-culture. An agarose cast with microwells containing tumor spheroids is prepared, followed by the addition of T cells. After incubation, this setup allows studying the interaction of T cells with tumor spheroids in a controlled three-dimensional environment.
03:18
Generation of a Three-Dimensional Spheroid Model of Tumor Cell Invasion
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2025
Source: Guyon, J., et al. A 3D Spheroid Model for Glioblastoma. J. Vis. Exp. (2020)The video demonstrates the generation of a three-dimensional spheroid model of tumor cell invasion. Spheroids are formed from human brain tumor cells and embedded in a collagen matrix. The tumor cells at the spheroid periphery adopt an invasive phenotype, secreting proteases to degrade the collagen and advancing to invade the surrounding matrix.
03:00
Generation of Spheroids from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells
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2025
This video demonstrates the transformation of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) into spherical brain organoids. By using specific inhibitors, the hPSCs are guided to differentiate towards a neuronal lineage, forming neuroectodermal colonies. Special growth factors are then introduced, which encourage the self-organization and proliferation of the colonies, ultimately leading to the formation of spherical brain organoids.
04:01
Spheroid Generation from Cell Lines: A Three-Dimensional (3D) Cell Culture Method
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2023
Spheroids are a type of 3D cell culture model used to more accurately represent a cell’s environment compared to 2D cell culture monolayer models. In the example protocol, we will see scientists generate spheroids from a colorectal cancer cell line and apply live-cell imaging to track the spheroids’ growth.
03:13
An In Vitro Assay to Assess CAR T Cell Cytotoxicity against Tumor Spheroids
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2025
This video demonstrates an in vitro assay evaluating the cytotoxic effects of CAR T cells on 3D tumor spheroids expressing fluorescent proteins. This assessment utilizes the Annexin V red fluorescent probe, which binds to exposed phosphatidylserine residues on the outer leaflet of apoptotic cancer cells after interactions with CAR T cells. The red fluorescence emitted by the probe aids in distinguishing these cells from healthy ones emitting green fluorescence.
FAQs
The critical design choice is limiting cell attachment to a rigid surface. This shifts the culture environment toward cell-cell contact, enabling cells to gather and form a compact structure rather than remaining organized primarily by a flat substrate. As aggregation proceeds, extracellular matrix production and spatial organization contribute to tissue-like architecture, supporting more realistic bioengineering models.
Within a spheroid, gradients of oxygen, nutrients, and metabolites create spatial variation in the local environment. That variation gives bioengineers a way to examine how tissue-like conditions affect cell signaling, differentiation, drug responses, and disease processes. It also makes the model relevant when a uniform two-dimensional culture cannot represent these gradients.
Cell-cell interactions, extracellular matrix production, and spatial organization act together rather than as isolated features. Their interaction drives the formation of compact, tissue-like architecture and helps establish the three-dimensional context in which cells signal and differentiate. For bioengineering, this organization is valuable because it links cellular behavior to a structured tissue environment.
Compared with conventional two-dimensional cultures, spheroids provide a more tissue-like arrangement of cells and expose them to gradients of oxygen, nutrients, and metabolites. This difference can affect how researchers interpret signaling, differentiation, drug responses, and disease processes. The three-dimensional format is especially relevant when tissue organization and spatially varying conditions are central to the study.
A basic workflow begins by culturing cells under conditions that limit attachment to a rigid surface. Cells are then allowed to interact, self-aggregate, and establish extracellular matrix production and spatial organization. The resulting compact clusters provide a three-dimensional culture format for investigating signaling, differentiation, drug responses, or disease-related behavior under tissue-like conditions.
Researchers can use Cell Spheroids to investigate cell signaling and differentiation in a three-dimensional setting, while also evaluating drug responses and disease processes. Because the clusters contain spatial gradients, they support questions about how local tissue conditions shape these outcomes. This makes them useful experimental models for connecting cellular behavior with tissue organization.
In tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, spheroids can serve as building blocks for engineered tissues, organoid models, and other three-dimensional culture systems. Their value lies in combining organized cell-cell interactions with extracellular matrix production in a tissue-like structure. Thus, they extend beyond disease or drug studies into strategies for constructing engineered and regenerative models.