Spheroids-on-a-chip: Recent advances and design considerations in microfluidic platforms for spheroid formation and culture

Abstract

Highlights  Cell spheroids are spherical aggregates best mimicking the tissue microenvironment.  Spheroid culture better recapitulates the in-vivo condition in microfluidic chips.  Microfluidics provides rapid spheroid formation with size uniformity and control.  These chips contain microwells, microstructures, droplet generators, etc.  To fabricate such chips, some design considerations must be taken into account.

3D tumor spheroids as in vitro models to mimic in vivo human solid tumors resistance to therapeutic drugs

“…Microchannel 5250 Assay PlateMiCA plates Benien andSwami (2014), Gupta et al (2016), Katt et al (2016), Moshksayan et al (2018) NUNES ET AL.…”

Inventions and Innovations in Preclinical Platforms for Cancer Research

“…In parallel, microfluidic systems hold great promise for cell biology [74], assisted reproductive technology (ART) [75], drug delivery systems [76], anti-cancer drug screening [77] and disease modelling [78]. Recently, microfluidic platforms for spheroid formation and culture have been thoroughly reviewed by our group [13]. We categorized the µSFCs into two main groups, which differ in spheroid formation procedure: emulsion-based spheroid formation and; microwell or U-shaped microstructure-based spheroid formation [13].…”

“…Recently, microfluidic platforms for spheroid formation and culture have been thoroughly reviewed by our group [13]. We categorized the µSFCs into two main groups, which differ in spheroid formation procedure: emulsion-based spheroid formation and; microwell or U-shaped microstructure-based spheroid formation [13].…”

“…In addition, biofouling and liquid evaporation are the drawbacks of these platforms [125]. The detailed design considerations of µSFCs and µSCCs, such as microstructure design, shear stress, spheroid diameter and retrieval mechanism, have been recently reviewed [13].…”

“…Although these approaches have several advantages, it has been justified that microfluidic devices are capable of forming 3D cell cultures (like spheroids and hydrogel-based cancer cell encapsulation) and drug tests in high throughput, more efficient and better-mimicked microenvironments [13]. For instance, the static microenvironment existing in a well in a microtiter plate causes fast depletion of oxygen and nutrients while increasing waste concentration in the well.…”