Summary
Published in Toxicology Letters (2016), this peer-reviewed study used 3D Petri Dish® micro-molds to form scaffold-free 3D microtissues. Full citation: Vantangoli, Marguerite M., et al. Morphologic effects of estrogen stimulation on 3D MCF-7 microtissues
Morphologic effects of estrogen stimulation on 3D MCF-7 microtissues
Research Overview
3D culture models bridge the gap between animal studies and 2D culture in human cell-based assays. Prior work showed MCF-7 breast carcinoma cells in a scaffold-free 3D system self-assemble into differentiated microtissues with a luminal space.
This study exposed those microtissues to estradiol for seven days, which decreased lumen formation, altered microtissue morphology, and changed expression of genes involved in estrogen signaling, cell adhesion, and cell cycle regulation. Receptor-specific agonists were then used to attribute those effects to particular estrogen receptor subtypes.
Key Discoveries
- Seven-day estradiol exposure decreased lumen formation and altered microtissue morphology
- Genes for estrogen signaling, cell adhesion, and cell cycle regulation shifted in response
- Receptor-specific agonists used to dissect which estrogen receptor drives each effect
