3D Microtissue & Spheroid Toxicity Assays (Liver, Heart, Brain)
In vitro toxicity screening in 3D microtissue, spheroid and multilayer cell models of liver, heart, brain and intestine, supporting repeat-dose studies with high content imaging and biochemical endpoints for more human-relevant safety data.
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Standard 2D cell cultures lose much of their tissue-specific function within days. That limits how well they predict toxicity, especially for effects that build up over repeated exposure. 3D microtissues and spheroids keep cell-to-cell contact and behave more like native tissue. They also stay viable long enough for repeat-dose studies, which gives earlier and more human-relevant warning of organ toxicity before a compound reaches animal studies or the clinic.
Cyprotex, part of Evotec, has extensive experience building screening assays around scaffold-free 3D microtissues, single-cell spheroids and multilayer models. Assays can be read with high content imaging, including confocal imaging, and with plate reader endpoints such as cellular ATP. Researchers can therefore look at mechanism-level changes as well as cell viability. Beyond the standard models, Evotec can bring other commercially available 3D systems into its workflow to fit a sponsor's needs.
Available models and assays at Evotec include:
- Liver: 3D hepatotoxicity assessment combining high content imaging with plate reader readouts.
- Heart: structural cardiotoxicity models in 3D cardiac microtissues and spheroids, plus a cardiac hypertrophy assay.
- Brain: a 3D brain microtissue model for neurotoxicity with high content imaging endpoints.
- Intestine: MatTek's EpiIntestinal multilayer model.
- Cytotoxicity screening: ATP content and related viability endpoints in 3D microtissues.
- Custom models: integration of other commercial 3D models on request.
