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3-D
printing cancer cells to mimic tumors
3-D
printing cancer cells to mimic tumors
Date:
April 10,
2014
Source:
Institute of Physics
Summary:
A 3-D model of a cancerous tumor using a 3-D printer
has been successfully created by researchers. The model consists of a grid
structure, 10 mm in width and length, made from gelatin, alginate and fibrin,
which recreates the fibrous proteins that make up the extracellular matrix of a
tumor. "With further understanding of these 3D models, we can use them to
study the development, invasion, metastasis and treatment of cancer using
specific cancer cells from patients. We can also use these models to test the
efficacy and safety of new cancer treatment therapies and new cancer
drugs," the lead author stated.
...................................
A group of
researchers in China and the US have successfully created a 3D model of a
cancerous tumor using a 3D printer.
The model,
which consists of a scaffold of fibrous proteins coated in cervical cancer
cells, has provided a realistic 3D representation of a tumor's environment and
could help in the discovery of new drugs and cast new light on how tumors
develop, grow and spread throughout the body.
The results
of the study have been published today, 11 April, in IOP Publishing's journal Biofabrication.
The model
consists of a grid structure, 10 mm in width and length, made from gelatin,
alginate and fibrin, which recreates the fibrous proteins that make up the
extracellular matrix of a tumor.
The grid
structure is coated in Hela cells -- a unique, 'immortal' cell line that was
originally derived from a cervical cancer patient in 1951. Due to the cells'
ability to divide indefinitely in laboratory conditions, the cell line has been
used in some of the most significant scientific breakthrough studies of the
past 50 years.
Although the
most effective way of studying tumors is to do so in a clinical trial, ethical
and safety limitations make it difficult for these types of studies to be
carried out on a wide scale.
To overcome
this, 2D models, consisting of a single layer of cells, have been created to
mimic the physiological environment of tumors so that different types of drugs
can be tested in a realistic way.
With the
advent of 3D printing, it is now possible to provide a more realistic
representation of the environment surrounding a tumor, which the researchers
have demonstrated in this study by comparing results from their 3D model with
results from a 2D model.
In addition
to testing if the cells remained viable, or alive, after printing, the
researchers also examined how the cells proliferated, how they expressed a
specific set of proteins, and how resistant they were to anti-cancer drugs.
The proteins
studied were part of the MMP protein family. These proteins are used by cancer
cells to break through their surrounding matrix and help tumors to spread.
Resistance to anti-cancer drugs, which was also studied, is a good indicator of
tumor malignancy.
The results
revealed that 90 per cent of the cancer cells remained viable after the
printing process. The results also showed that the 3D model had more similar
characteristics to a tumor compared to 2D models and in the 3D model the cancer
cells showed a higher proliferation rate, higher protein expression and higher
resistance to anti-cancer drugs.
The lead
author of the research, Professor Wei Sun, from Tsinghua University, China, and
Drexel University, USA, said: "We have provided a scalable and versatile
3D cancer model that shows a greater resemblance to natural cancer than 2D
cultured cancer cells."
"With
further understanding of these 3D models, we can use them to study the
development, invasion, metastasis and treatment of cancer using specific cancer
cells from patients. We can also use these models to test the efficacy and
safety of new cancer treatment therapies and new cancer drugs."
Story
Source:
The above
story is based on materials provided by Institute of Physics. Note: Materials may be
edited for content and length.
Journal
Reference:
- Yu Zhao, Rui Yao, Liliang Ouyang, Hongxu Ding, Ting Zhang, Kaitai Zhang, Shujun Cheng, Wei Sun. Three-dimensional printing of Hela cells for cervical tumor modelin vitro. Biofabrication, 2014; 6 (3): 035001 DOI: 10.1088/1758-5082/6/3/035001
Cite This
Page:
Institute of Physics. "3-D
printing cancer cells to mimic tumors." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 10
April 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140410194613.htm>.