Comparative Analysis of 3D and 2D Cell-Culturing Methods in Hair Follicle Spheroid Morphogenesis and Drug Responsiveness

    July 2025 in “ Biomaterials Advances ”
    Justin Tan, Win Lwin Thuya, Hongyu Zhu, Jessie G Kristo, John Common, Chunyong Wu, Paul Chi Lui Ho, Lifeng Kang
    New to Minoxidil? There is a guide in the encyclopedia. Read the guide →
    Studysummary This study investigated how 2D and 3D cell culturing methods influence hair follicle morphogenesis, finding that 3D cultures responded more expectedly to minoxidil while 2D cultures reacted better to DHT treatment, challenging the assumption that 3D cultures are always superior. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
    This study evaluates 2D and 3D cell-culturing methods for hair follicle spheroid morphogenesis and drug responsiveness, particularly focusing on protein expression influenced by minoxidil and DHT. The research indicates that 3D cultures, which form more natural spheroid structures, show higher and more natural protein expressions, especially in response to minoxidil, compared to 2D cultures. However, DHT significantly reduces protein expression in 2D cultures but not in 3D cultures. Despite these findings, the study challenges the assumption that 3D culturing is always superior, suggesting that factors like the geometry and composition of the 3D environment are crucial. This highlights the need for further research to optimize hair follicle development in vitro.
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