Corning® 96-well Black/Clear Round Bottom Ultra-Low Attachment Surface Spheroid Microplate, Bulk Packed, with Lid, Sterile, 10/Bag

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a notoriously aggressive tumor type due to its high levels of metastasis and recurrence and is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the Western world. Pancreatic tumors typically lack vasculature and are hypoxic due to oxygen diffusion limitations. In this study, the PDAC cell line PANC-1 was seeded at densities ranging from 500 to 5,000 cells in Corning spheroid microplates and the relative expression of hypoxia markers HIF-1α, GLUT-1, and CA IX were analyzed compared to 2D culture using RT-qPCR to assess the correlation between spheroid size and hypoxia marker expression.

The study presented within this scientific poster highlights the use of Corning® Matrigel® matrix 3D plates to generate MDCK cysts for screening modulators of forskolin-induced cyst swelling, which can be used to screen potential therapies for diseases such a polycystic kidney disease.

In this application note, the formation of gastrointestinal organoids derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) is demonstrated — while using Corning® 96-well spheroid microplates, in combination with Corning Matrigel® matrix. This results in a single intestinal organoid in each well. Differentiation into definitive endoderm and intestinal lineage is confirmed by flow cytometry and immunostaining methods.

This application note describes how 3D spheroid-qualified primary human hepatocytes (PHHs) can be used to create 3D PHH spheroids for high throughput screenings or investigative studies requiring long-term culture, e.g. chronic hepatoxicity assays.

This application note demonstrates how 3D primary human hepatocyte (PHH) spheroids demonstrate increased sensitivity to drug-induced liver injury in comparison to 2D PHH monolayer culture.

In vitro 3D cell culture models are widely recognized as more physiologically relevant systems compared to 2D formats. The 3D models reflect more accurately the complex in vivo microenvironment and have been used in many research areas, such as cancer biology, hepatotoxicity, neurology, pancreatic studies, nephrology, and stem cell biology. These studies have revolutionized understanding of cellular behavior both in culture and in vivo. However, adoption of 3D cell culture models in high throughput screening (HTS) platforms has been slow due to the limitations of the current technologies. Problems include increased variability, low throughput, difficulty to automate, and high cost.

In vitro 3D cell culture models are widely recognized as more physiologically relevant systems compared to 2D formats. To recapitulate features of native tumor microenvironments, cancer cells can be cultured in Corning spheroid microplates, which combine the Corning Ultra-Low Attachment surface with innovative well geometry to provide an ideal tool for generating, culturing, and assaying 3D multicellular spheroids in the same plate, without the need for a transfer step. This protocol describes a basic method for generating and culturing tumor spheroids in a 96-well spheroid microplate format. This basic protocol for culture and assay can be adapted for all spheroid microplates.

This application note demonstrates a method for the generation of 3D spheroidal tumoroid structures, creation of a suitable invasion matrix and image-based monitoring of tumor invasion.

More accurate in vitro toxicity assays are required to detect adverse drug effects, such as drug induced liver injury (DILI), in earlier phases of drug development. 3D cell models demonstrate the formation of functional bile canaliculi and have increased albumin secretion and CYP expression, as well as longer stability in culture compared with two dimensional (2D) cultures, making them ideal for DILI studies. Here, efficacious drug screening is demonstrated by combining Corning® Hepatocells with Corning spheroid microplates to create the 3D cell cultures necessary for testing.

In this application note, learn a procedure for the fixation of spheroids, followed by transfer to an embedding medium for processing and imaging.

In this video, find out why you should grow 3D cell cultures and how to take your research 3D in 3 easy steps.

With their novel and proprietary design, these microplates are ideal for generating and analyzing 3D multicellular spheroids in the same microplate. The Ultra-Low Attachment surface enables uniform and reproducible 3D multicellular spheroid formation. The black opaque microplate body shields each optically clear, round bottom well from well-to-well crosstalk.

Principal scientist, Brad Larson from BioTek Instruments, Inc, discusses how combination of the Cytation 5 plate reader with Corning’s spheroid microplate range is ideal for 3D cell culture assay and imaging. Discover how the microplates are designed to produce single, consistent spheroids, in high content wells that facilitate reproducible and robust assay data with high quality imaging.

Hilary Sherman and Hannah J. Gitschier M.S. Corning Incorporated, Life Sciences Kennebunk, ME USA

Dr. Richard M. Eglen of Corning Life Sciences shares expertise on optimizing 3D cell culture assays with the latest technologies

Optimize Assay Performance and Streamline High Throughput Screening

Corning Life Sciences vice president and general manager to showcase growing portfolio