A recent article published in Frontiers in Genetics from a team led by senior author Professor Vivaldo Moura-Neto reviews current understanding about the interplay between hypoxia, miRNAs, stem-like cells, and cancer aggressiveness. Contributing to cancer aggressiveness is an interconnected role between microRNAs, stem-like cancer cells, and the hypoxic microenvironment. Since tumor oxygen levels play a critical role in promoting malignant progression, therapeutic resistance, and metastatic potential; cancer scientists add physiologic relevance to in vitro studies by simulating tumor hypoxia.

Greiner Bio-one has developed a system of 3D Cell Culture tools to open new dimensions and allow the processing of a 3D cell culture in a fast and easy 2D workflow. The core technology of Greiner Bio-One’s Magnetic 3D Cell Culture is the magnetization of cells with biocompatible NanoShuttle™-PL. The reproducible formation of one spheroid per well in an F-bottom plate with Cell-Repellent surface is forced by magnets either by levitation or bioprinting, to form structurally and biologically representative 3D models in-vitro. There are many advantages of the magnetic 3D cell culture (m3D) technology. This technology provides reproducible spheroid formation in a scalable 6 Well to 1536 Well format that can be performed on a flat surface optimal for high-resolution microscopy and HTS. Rapid 3D culture formation within 24 hours for most cell types and easy media changes and co-culture of different cell types. This technology is compatible with fluorescence microscopy, Western blotting, qRT-PCR, Flow Cytometry, viability assays, chemiluminescence, and the list goes on.