eBook: Exploring the Versatility of Using 3D Spheroid Models in Research
Authors: Sartorius | Last updated: July, 2025
Overview
Discover how live-cell analysis and advanced cell models are transforming drug discovery, cancer research, and regenerative medicine.
Traditional 2D cultures fall short in mimicking the complexity of real tissues—leading to missed insights and limited translatability. In this exclusive eBook, Exploring the Versatility of Using 3D Spheroid Models in Research, we dive into how 3D spheroids, paired with cutting-edge technologies like live-cell analysis and synthetic hydrogels, are redefining what is possible in the lab.
Inside, you will learn:
- How real-time live-cell imaging improves the reliability and depth of spheroid-based assays.
- Why do 3D models offer better predictive power than 2D cultures in drug screening?
- How to use NexaGel® synthetic hydrogels to create more reproducible, clinically relevant cancer models.
- The impact of stem cell integration in generating physiologically relevant tissue models.
- Case studies and application notes — including an 880-compound screen using live-cell imaging.
Whether you're developing personalized therapies or optimizing early-stage compound screens, this resource will help you implement robust, scalable, and biologically relevant workflows.
Stay ahead of the curve with advanced 3D cultural strategies backed by real-world data and expert insights.
- Document type: eBook
- Page count: 44
Read time: 60 minutes
Key Takeaways
- 3D spheroid models provide superior biological relevance; unlike 2D cultures, spheroids mimic real tissue architecture, enabling more accurate studies of tumor biology, drug response, and cellular interactions.
- Live-cell analysis reveals complex, dynamic responses: Monitoring 3D cultures over time with tools like the Incucyte® captures nuanced phenotypic changes—such as shrinkage, viability loss, or spheroid disruption—that static assays often miss.
- Phenotypic screening with 3D models improves hit validation: By combining real-time imaging with fluorescent and brightfield measurements, researchers can better distinguish between cytotoxic, cytostatic, and off-target effects in drug screens.
- Synthetic hydrogels improve reproducibility and scalability: NexaGel® provides a defined, animal-free matrix that reduces variability and supports both embedded and surface spheroid growth—allowing for customizable experimental conditions.
- Spheroid size and structure influence compound penetration: Some compounds active in 2D assays fail to impact 3D spheroids due to limited penetration—highlighting the need to test drug efficacy in more structurally relevant models.
- Integrated technologies streamline complex 3D workflows: The combination of live-cell imaging, high-throughput cytometry, and automated single-cell tools enables efficient, scalable, and reproducible 3D model studies for drug discovery and translational research.
Exploring the Versatility of Using 3D Spheroid Models in Research
