Summary
Published in JCI Insight (2023), this peer-reviewed study used 3D Petri Dish® micro-molds to form scaffold-free 3D microtissues. Full citation: Song, Yong, et al. Spheroids as a model for endometriotic lesions
Spheroids as a model for endometriotic lesions
Research Overview
How endometriotic lesions develop and progress remains poorly understood, though immune dysfunction and inflammation are closely tied to the disease — and studying interactions between cell types and their microenvironment needs a 3D model.
This study developed endometriotic spheroids to explore epithelial-stromal interactions and model peritoneal invasion. Using a nonadherent microwell system, spheroids combined immortalized endometriotic epithelial cells with either endometriotic stromal or uterine stromal cell lines, and transcriptomic analysis identified 4,522 differentially expressed genes between the configurations.
Key Discoveries
- Endometriotic spheroids combined epithelial cells with endometriotic or uterine stromal lines
- Transcriptomic analysis found 4,522 differentially expressed genes between spheroid types
- Model captures epithelial-stromal interaction and peritoneal invasion in lesion development
