Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36639864›Full record

ArticleJournal of microscopy2023

A method for reproducible high-resolution imaging of 3D cancer cell spheroids.

Thomas A Phillips, Valeria Caprettini, Nandini Aggarwal, Stefania Marcotti, Rob Tetley, Yanlan Mao, Tanya Shaw, Ciro Chiappini, Maddy Parsons, Susan Cox

Open access · hybridAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of microscopy, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed
1.5field-weighted citation impact, top 19% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed, 14 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Review
  4. Real-Time Visualization of Endogenous HChemical & biomedical imaging · 2025
    Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Imaging actin organisation and dynamics in 3D.Journal of cell science · 2024
    Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Thomas A PhillipsRandall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, London, UK.
Valeria CaprettiniCentre for Craniofacial & Regenerative Biology, King's College London, London, UK.
Nandini AggarwalRandall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, London, UK.
Stefania MarcottiRandall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, London, UK.
Rob TetleyLaboratory for Molecular Cell Biology and Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, London, UK.
Yanlan MaoLaboratory for Molecular Cell Biology and Institute for the Physics of Living Systems, University College London, London, UK.
Tanya ShawDepartment of Inflammation Biology, School of Immunology & Microbial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.
Ciro ChiappiniCentre for Craniofacial & Regenerative Biology, King's College London, London, UK.
Maddy ParsonsRandall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-2021-8379
Susan CoxRandall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, London, UK.
King's College London · GBMRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology · GB

Funding

Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research CouncilMedical Research Council MR/K019732/1Medical Research Council MR/L009056/1Medical Research Council MR/T031646/1Medical Research Council MR/W027437/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Multicellular tumour cell spheroids embedded within three-dimensional (3D) hydrogels or extracellular matrices (ECM) are widely used as models to study cancer growth and invasion. Standard methods to embed spheroids in 3D matrices result in random placement in space which limits the use of inverted fluorescence microscopy techniques, and thus the resolution that can be achieved to image molecular detail within the intact spheroid. Here, we leverage UV photolithography to microfabricate PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) stamps that allow for generation of high-content, reproducible well-like structures in multiple different imaging chambers. Addition of multicellular tumour spheroids into stamped collagen structures allows for precise positioning of spheroids in 3D space for reproducible high-/super-resolution imaging. Embedded spheroids can be imaged live or fixed and are amenable to immunostaining, allowing for greater flexibility of experimental approaches. We describe the use of these spheroid imaging chambers to analyse cell invasion, cell-ECM interaction, ECM alignment, force-dependent intracellular protein dynamics and extension of fine actin-based protrusions with a variety of commonly used inverted microscope platforms. This method enables reproducible, high-/super-resolution live imaging of multiple tumour spheroids, that can be potentially extended to visualise organoids and other more complex 3D in vitro systems.

Indexed as

NeoplasmsCollagenExtracellular MatrixHumansSpheroids, CellularCollagen3D bioimagingcancer spheroidscytoskeletonhydrogel scaffoldstructured illumination microscopy

Identifiers

PMID36639864
PMCPMC10953429
OpenAlexW4316034886

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.