Screening of 3D Spheroids Using a Robust, Sensitive, Next-Generation High Content Imager

Image-based high-content screening (HCS) is a potent drug discovery strategy that characterizes drug effects through the quantification of image-based features that describe cellular changes within or among cell populations. With the rising interest in 3D biological models, there is an increasing demand for an imaging platform that not only acquires high-throughput, high-quality images in 3D samples, but also enables complex image analysis. 

3D spheroid models are widely used in cancer research due to their ability to better replicate the in vivo tissue architecture, gene expression and metabolic profile of tumors compared to traditional 2D culture models 1, 2 . Studies have shown that 3D cultures exhibit several in vivo tumor features such as cell-cell/ECM interactions, drug penetrance, dose response and resistance 7. Similar to solid tumors, spheroids consist of an outer cell proliferation zone, followed by a middle layer of quiescent cells and an inner necrotic core where cells are exposed to hypoxic conditions. These similarities suggest that 3D models compared to 2D monolayer culture would provide a more accurate assessment of drug safety and facilitate the successful identification of anti-cancer compounds.