Cell cultures cannot be grown indefinitely due to the ever-increasing number of cells in a confined area, consumption of nutrients, and increase in toxic metabolites which eventually result in cell death. In cell culture, the growth of cells typically occurs…
Tissue engineering and 3D bioprinting are distinct but related fields sharing the common goal of creating functional and living tissues. This article differentiates how tissue engineering and 3D bioprinting are different from each other: Definition Tissue Engineering: Tissue engineering is…
Organoids and bioprinting Researchers have been able to create miniature, simplified versions of organs called organoids for various tissues, such as the liver, kidney, brain, and gut, providing valuable tools for studying organ development, disease modeling, and drug testing. Bioprinting…
Tissue engineering plays a significant role in cancer research by providing models to better understand cancer biology, develop new therapeutic strategies, and test potential treatments. Some key aspects that tissue engineering contributes to cancer research are: Cancer modeling Tissue engineering…
Researchers have optimized methods to generate physiologically relevant organoid models for many organs. Here are some examples of commonly used tissue-specific organoids: Intestinal organoids In 2009, Sato et al. isolated individual Lgr5+ stem cells from small intestinal crypts of adult…
Cell culture involves the cultivation and growth of cells outside their natural environment, in a laboratory setting. The following are some fundamental techniques used in cell culture: 1. Aseptic technique: Aseptic techniques are essential to maintain a sterile environment and…
Safety is a critical aspect to consider when working with cell cultures to protect both researchers and the environment. This article summarizes some essential safety guidelines to keep in mind to work in the cell culture laboratory. 1. Biosafety cabinet:…
Cell culture is a versatile tool to investigate fundamental scientific and translation research questions. This article is a summary of important principles behind the setup of a cell culture lab and the guidelines that ensure the safety of the lab…
Despite the significant advances in using animal models in medical research, some preclinical studies from those models failed to be translated into clinical practice successfully. This could be due to subtle differences in the brain structure and cellular composition across…
A spheroid is a three-dimensional (3D) cell culture model that mimics the in vivo environment more closely than traditional two-dimensional (2D) monolayer cultures. Physiologically, spheroids exhibit several distinct characteristics compared to 2D cell cultures. This article is an overview of…