Trinity of Three-Dimensional (3D) Scaffold, Vibration, and 3D Printing on Cell Culture Application: A Systematic Review and Indicating Future Direction.

Haobo Yuan,Ke Xing,Hung-Yao Hsu

doi:10.3390/bioengineering5030057

Haobo Yuan, Ke Xing + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering5030057

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Abstract

Cell culture and cell scaffold engineering have previously developed in two directions. First can be ‘static into dynamic’, with proven effects that dynamic cultures have benefits over static ones. Researches in this direction have used several mechanical means, like external vibrators or shakers, to approximate the dynamic environments in real tissue, though such approaches could only partly address the issue. Second, can be ‘2D into 3D’, that is, artificially created three-dimensional (3D) passive (also called ‘static’) scaffolds have been utilized for 3D cell culture, helping external culturing conditions mimic real tissue 3D environments in a better way as compared with traditional two-dimensional (2D) culturing. In terms of the fabrication of 3D scaffolds, 3D printing (3DP) has witnessed its high popularity in recent years with ascending applicability, and this tendency might continue to grow along with the rapid development in scaffold engineering. In this review, we first introduce cell culturing, then focus 3D cell culture scaffold, vibration stimulation for dynamic culture, and 3DP technologies fabricating 3D scaffold. Potential interconnection of these realms will be analyzed, as well as the limitations of current 3D scaffold and vibration mechanisms. In the recommendation part, further discussion on future scaffold engineering regarding 3D vibratory scaffold will be addressed, indicating 3DP as a positive bridging technology for future scaffold with integrated and localized vibratory functions.

Highlights

Cultured cells have been grown on treated-polystyrene two-dimensional (2D) surfaces as the standard cell culture plastic-ware
The morphology of cells that are grown in 2D systems is significantly different to cells in real living tissues, because 2D environments are generally flat, which could only control the growth of cells in x and y directions
3D cell culture and its related tools have been developed in recent decades, for creating suitable 3D surrounding environments that are utilized for optimal cell growth, differentiation, and function [2,3]

Summary

Introduction

Cultured cells have been grown on treated-polystyrene two-dimensional (2D) surfaces as the standard cell culture plastic-ware. The morphology of cells that are grown in 2D systems is significantly different to cells in real living tissues, because 2D environments are generally flat, which could only control the growth of cells in x and y directions. In this way, a thorough cell-to-cell interaction will be compromised, which negatively affects protein and gene expression and other cell functions [2,3]. Cells making up real body tissues usually possess a complex three-dimensional (3D) architecture, which differs remarkably from the flat-monolayer-structure of cells resulted by 2D culture. System of 3D cell culture enables cells to develop natural, in vivo-like 3D intercellular interactions, providing an ideal environment for real three-dimensional cell growth and issues, like nutrient exchange, which is similar to intra-capillary exchange in living tissues [1,3,6]

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