In Situ Self-Assembling Liver Spheroids with Synthetic Nanoscaffolds for Preclinical Drug Screening Applications

The study investigates the use of synthetic electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) nanoscaffolds to enhance the formation and functionality of HepG2 liver spheroids for preclinical drug screening. The integration of PCL nanoscaffolds improved cell viability and liver-specific functions, such as albumin and urea secretion, and drug metabolism, compared to traditional 2D cultures and spheroids without scaffolds. Nanoscaffold concentrations of 0.01% and 0.005% w/v were effective in promoting spheroid formation, with cells adhering to the nanoscaffolds before aggregating. This approach offers a promising platform for drug screening and tissue engineering by providing a more biomimetic and viable in vitro liver model, potentially improving the efficiency and accuracy of drug discovery processes.