Filter-well Technology for advanced Three-dimensional Cell Culture: Perspectives for Respiratory Research

Introduction:
This text discusses the use of filter-well technology for advanced three-dimensional (3-D) cell culture, specifically for the study of human pulmonary cells. The reader will learn about the advantages of 3-D cell culture over traditional two-dimensional (2-D) methods and the applications of filter-well technology in respiratory research.

Key Points:

* 3-D cell culture provides a more physiologically-relevant and predictive model system compared to 2-D culture.
* In vitro surrogates of nano-structured surfaces can enable the development of bio-mimetic model systems to investigate both normal and abnormal functions of cells, tissues, and organs.
* The development of 3-D culture microenvironments can permit more-accurate cell-based assays for toxicology, risk assessment, drug sensitivity and screening, high-throughput (hTP) drug discovery, and modelling the in vivo /ex vivo growth of tissues for applications in regenerative medicine.
* The composition of the extracellular matrix (ECM) is critical in the maintenance of normal lung functions, and the lung fibroblast is the main producer of the pulmonary ECM.
* highly-porous nano-topography results in the 3-D associations of the ECM and the basement membrane (BM), and are essential for the reproduction of physiological patterns of cell adherence, cytoskeleton organization, signal transduction, migration, apoptosis, proliferation, morphogenesis and differentiation in cell cultures.
* Filter-well technology is a readily-available platform employed for 3-D cell culture platforms suitable for cell-based assays. These platforms aid in the effort to generate tissue polarity and, by allowing growth at the air-liquid interface (aLI), they recreate in vivo-like cues and create a 3-D environment.
* Scientists have explored and continue to explore in vitro systems to model and study the in vivo situation, and in the field of respiratory biology, early studies involved explant cultures. Major advances were made in the 1980s with respect to culture conditions and media, allowing for the differentiation of cells and the formation of tissue-like constructs.

Main Message:
The text emphasizes the importance of using 3-D cell culture models, specifically those utilizing filter-well technology, to study the behavior of human pulmonary cells. These models provide a more physiologically-relevant system compared to traditional 2-D methods, allowing for the investigation of both normal and abnormal functions of cells, tissues, and organs. additionally, the development of 3-D culture microenvironments can enable more-accurate cell-based assays for toxicology, drug discovery, and regenerative medicine applications. Overall, the use of 3-D cell culture models can lead to a better understanding of cell behavior within complex multicellular tissues and improved predictions of in vivo responses.

BéruBé, Kelly, aldo Pitt, Patrick hayden, Zoë Prytherch, and Claire Job. “Filter-Well Technology for advanced Three-Dimensional Cell Culture: Perspectives for Respiratory Research.” alternatives to Laboratory animals 38, no. 1_suppl (December 2010): 49–65. https://doi.org/10.1177/026119291003801S04.