Techniques to produce and culture lung tumor organoids

Abstract

Three-dimensional cell culture formats have been gaining popularity due to their ability to more closely mimic human physiology compared to conventional, two-dimensional culture. These 3D cultures exhibit in vivo-like behaviors, such as cell-cell adhesion, extracellular matrix secretion, and resilience against bacterial, chemical, and radiation insults. Various techniques for 3D organoid culture have been developed to recreate aspects of the lung microenvironment. This chapter examines the history and current applications of 3D lung tumor organoid culture, including Matrigel, hanging drop, magnetic levitation, rotating wall vessels, and non-adherent culture techniques. Each technique provides unique benefits for physiologic behavior, organoid access, and convenience. However, further work is required to advance the development of these systems for future biological discovery and high-throughput drug screening.