Publications

An organotypic in vitro model containing microtumor spheroids, macrophages, neutrophils, fibroblasts and endothelial cells, allowing for the analysis of tumor–stroma interactions, was established with 3-D Life Hydrogel. After 20 days of culture, spheroid growth, a fibroblast network and vascular sprouting was clearly visible, the latter likely to be induced by endogenous VEGF. Cultures were miniaturized on transwell 96-well plates and treated with the drug cisplatin showing a reduction of tumor spheroid size and the fibroblast network. Results suggest that the model is highly suitable as a testing platform for novel anticancer therapeutics targeting the tumor as well as the vascular compartment.