Physiologically relevant spheroid models for three‐dimensional cell culture

Used by scientists worldwide for cancer, stem cell, toxicity and cell biology research, Perfecta3D® hanging drop plates developed by 3D Biomatrix are 96- and 384-well plates designed to simplify the formation, culture and testing of 3D spheroids and embryoid bodies without any cellular contact with artificial surfaces. Spheroids are widely recognised as being more physiologically relevant than 2D cell culture monolayers. In the past, however, achieving a 3D spheroid environment was typically messy, expensive, laborious and difficult to adapt to existing cell culture procedures. High-throughput screening techniques were virtually impossible. The design of the Perfecta3D HDPs provides what 3D cell culture methods of the past lacked: flexibility and simplicity. Surprising to some at first, the wells of the Perfecta3D HDPs have no bottom surface. A cell suspension is pipetted through the top of each well and then hangs below each well securely and stably via surface tension. With no bottom surface to adhere to or flatten against, cells naturally aggregate in the liquid drop to form consistently sized spheroids, one per well. Long- or short-term cultures and co-cultures are fed and maintained from the top of the plate, and assays can be conducted directly in the hanging drop. The Perfecta3D HDPs meet ANSI/SBS standards. The spheroids can be transferred from the plates to another well plate of choice, manually or with a centrifuge. In addition, existing manual or robotic laboratory equipment such as pipettors, liquid handlers, plate readers and imagers can be used with the HDPs.