One of the key pillars of the drug discovery process is the use of cell-based assays, which offer a quick, easy, and affordable method to replace expensive animal research. Due to its practicality and affordability, two-dimensional (2D) cell monolayers have long been the favoured method for cell growth.

Without a question, 2D cell culture is a useful technique for cell-based research, but it also has several drawbacks. The fact that 2D cell culture fails to accurately mimic the 3D environment that cells naturally inhabit is one of its biggest shortcomings. As a result, at costly stages of clinical research and drug discovery, 2D cell culture experiments have produced nonpredictive results for in vivo responses.Therefore, it is essential to develop in vitro cell-based systems that can more closely resemble the behaviours of in vivo cells and offer more trustworthy results for in vivo experiments.

2D vs 3D Cell Cultures

A 3D culture of cells closely resembles physiological circumstances and provides numerous advantages over 2D culture conditions. Traditional 2D cultures produce cells as a monolayer on petri plates, but 3D cell cultures use a scaffold or matrix to develop cells as 3D aggregates or spheroids.

The important aspect of 3D cultures that effects both the spatial structure of the cell surface receptors involved in interactions with neighbouring cells and imposes physical limits on cells is the added dimensionality. Both characteristics have an impact on how signals are sent from the outside to the interior of cells, which in turn has an impact on gene expression and cellular activity.

Researchers are using 3D cell culture more frequently due to the ease of handling cells in vitro, findings that mimic in vivo circumstances, and the lack of ethical issues about using animal models. With more complicated and cutting-edge technologies like 3D cell bioprinting that have numerous medical uses and the possibility to become a vital tool for drug development and toxicity studies, the future really does look interesting!

In order to support this unique journey of in vitro organ development, Kosheeka, a research-oriented company in India, is expanding its knowledge and capabilities. At Kosheeka, we have created appropriate scaffolds with the right qualities and forms depending on the type of cells to be addressed. These scaffold designs mimic the shape, size, and function of the target tissue.