Pancreatic cancer organotypics: High throughput, preclinical models for pharmacological agent evaluation

Figure 2 Submerged organotypic culture models used to investigate pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. A: Cancer cells were embedded in the extracellular matrix mixture before it was allowed to polymerise. These cells were then fed with culture media placed on top of the gel; B: Representative configuration of cells within the gel after 7 d of culture. The cancer cells forming duct-like structures within the gel. This model mimics the behaviour of invading cancer cells; C, D: Show the same model with both pancreatic stellate cells and cancer cells embedded within the extracellular matrix gel. Using this model the interaction between stellate cells and invading cancer cells can be examined; E: Stellate cells embedded in the gel prior to polymerisation, with cancer cells seeded on top of the gel 24 h later. In this model cancer cell invasion can be analysed in the presence of pancreatic stellate cells (F). Representatice HE of these organotypic models are reviewed in Froeling et al[26].