Comparison of spheroid-based 3-dimensional culture to monolayer of larynx carcinoma cell line HLaC78.. Homo sapiens

In vitro proliferation and/or invasion tests (such as MTT assay, Boyden Chamber Assay, Scratch assay) using established and well-characterized cell lines can provide easy and reproducible tools to investigate anti-tumour or anti-invasion agents ex vivo. However, in vivo cells in a tissue context interact with neighbouring cells and extracellular matrix components. In 2-dimensional monolayer cultures cells tend to loose tissue-specific properties. 2-D culture models therefore seem unsuitable to mimic the behaviour of cells in a natural, 3-dimensional microenvironment, especially for testing of growth or invasion inhibiting substances. Spheroids on the other hand resemble in many aspects solid, non-vascularized tumour tissue. Overall design: Within this study the larynx carcinoma cell line HLaC78 was used as a model for comparing overall gene expression in 2D monolayer culture with 72 hrs old HLaC78 multicellular spheroids, providing evidence for extensive restructuring of gene expression in the 3-dimensional context.