Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42275224›Full record

ArticleSTAR protocols2026

Protocol for generation, time-course imaging, and automated quality control of 3D spheroid invasion using TRACEQC.

Eric M Cramer, Tamara Lopez-Vidal, Vania Wang, Jeanette Johnson, Daniel R Bergman, Ashani T Weeraratna, Elana J Fertig, Laura M Heiser, Young Hwan Chang, Jacquelyn W Zimmerman

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PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in STAR protocols, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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.

Eric M CramerDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA; Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
Tamara Lopez-VidalDepartment of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Vania WangDepartment of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Jeanette JohnsonInstitute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, North Bethesda, MD, USA; Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Daniel R BergmanInstitute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, North Bethesda, MD, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Institute for Health Computing, University of Maryland School of Medicine, North Bethesda, MD, USA.
Ashani T WeeraratnaDepartment of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Elana J FertigInstitute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, North Bethesda, MD, USA; Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Laura M HeiserDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA; Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
Young Hwan ChangDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA; Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA. Electronic address: chanyo@ohsu.edu.
Jacquelyn W ZimmermanDepartment of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. Electronic address: jzimme27@jhmi.edu.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Longitudinal 3D spheroid imaging requires quality control to ensure accurate image matching across sessions. We present a protocol for embedding spheroids and implementing TRACEQC (temporal reassignment and correspondence evaluation with quality control) to correct positional displacement. We describe steps for generating spheroids, embedding them in collagen plugs, acquiring image metadata, and applying TRACEQC to align spheroid positions across time points. This approach is agnostic to spheroid type, cellular composition, and formation technique, making it broadly applicable to longitudinal 3D imaging experiments. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Cramer et al.

Indexed as

Cell Culture Techniques, Three DimensionalImaging, Three-DimensionalSpheroids, CellularAnimalsCell Culture TechniquesHumansQuality ControlBiotechnology and bioengineeringCancerCell cultureMicroscopyOrganoids

Identifiers

PMID42275224
PMCPMC13276342

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Registered trials

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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.