3D cell culture stimulates the secretion of in vivo like extracellular vesicles

The study demonstrated that 3D cell culture systems more accurately mimicked the in vivo extracellular matrix environment compared to traditional 2D cultures, particularly in the context of extracellular vesicle (EV) secretion and molecular content. By analyzing small RNA profiles through next-generation sequencing, researchers found that EVs derived from 3D cultures of cervical cancer cells had a 96% similarity to those found in patient plasma, suggesting a specific sorting process and a closer resemblance to in vivo conditions. In contrast, EVs from 2D cultures were more similar to their parent cells. The study highlighted the potential of 3D culture systems in providing non-invasive insights into tissue behaviors and their applications in tumor biomarker discovery, drug screening, and understanding tumor progression.