Jia-Yu Tao, Jun Zhu, Yu-Qiong Gao, Min Jiang, Hong Yin
{"title":"Narrative review of 3D bioprinting for the construction of <i>in vitro</i> tumor models: present and prospects.","authors":"Jia-Yu Tao, Jun Zhu, Yu-Qiong Gao, Min Jiang, Hong Yin","doi":"10.21037/tcr-2025-128","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objective: </strong>The conventional in vitro research on tumor mechanisms is typically based on two-dimensional (2D) culture of tumor cells, which has many limitations in replicating <i>in vivo</i> tumorigenesis processes. In contrast, the three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting has paved the way for the construction of more biomimetic in vitro tumor models. This article comprehensively elucidates the features of 3D bioprinting and meticulously summarizes its applications in several selected tumors, aiming to offer valuable insights for future relevant studies.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A literature search was conducted in the databases of PubMed and Web of Science for articles on 3D bioprinting for <i>in vitro</i> tumor model construction.</p><p><strong>Key content and findings: </strong>This article introduces various 3D bioprinting technologies for <i>in vitro</i> tumor model construction, focusing on their pros and cons, principles, and protocols. Several <i>in vitro</i> tumor models are presented, detailing their utility in tumorigenesis research and their constraints. To date, 3D bioprinting has been widely applied in oncology, addressing the limitation of traditional 2D tumor cell culture in replicating tumor microenvironment (TME).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Advanced 3D bioprinting technology accurately replicates the complex TME and the heterogeneity of intratumor structures, enabling further <i>in vitro</i> tumor studies. It significantly fuels our understanding of tumor pathophysiology and offers new hope for cancer patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":23216,"journal":{"name":"Translational cancer research","volume":"14 2","pages":"1479-1491"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5000,"publicationDate":"2025-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11912033/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Translational cancer research","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.21037/tcr-2025-128","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2025/2/26 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q4","JCRName":"ONCOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background and objective: The conventional in vitro research on tumor mechanisms is typically based on two-dimensional (2D) culture of tumor cells, which has many limitations in replicating in vivo tumorigenesis processes. In contrast, the three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting has paved the way for the construction of more biomimetic in vitro tumor models. This article comprehensively elucidates the features of 3D bioprinting and meticulously summarizes its applications in several selected tumors, aiming to offer valuable insights for future relevant studies.
Methods: A literature search was conducted in the databases of PubMed and Web of Science for articles on 3D bioprinting for in vitro tumor model construction.
Key content and findings: This article introduces various 3D bioprinting technologies for in vitro tumor model construction, focusing on their pros and cons, principles, and protocols. Several in vitro tumor models are presented, detailing their utility in tumorigenesis research and their constraints. To date, 3D bioprinting has been widely applied in oncology, addressing the limitation of traditional 2D tumor cell culture in replicating tumor microenvironment (TME).
Conclusions: Advanced 3D bioprinting technology accurately replicates the complex TME and the heterogeneity of intratumor structures, enabling further in vitro tumor studies. It significantly fuels our understanding of tumor pathophysiology and offers new hope for cancer patients.
期刊介绍:
Translational Cancer Research (Transl Cancer Res TCR; Print ISSN: 2218-676X; Online ISSN 2219-6803; http://tcr.amegroups.com/) is an Open Access, peer-reviewed journal, indexed in Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE). TCR publishes laboratory studies of novel therapeutic interventions as well as clinical trials which evaluate new treatment paradigms for cancer; results of novel research investigations which bridge the laboratory and clinical settings including risk assessment, cellular and molecular characterization, prevention, detection, diagnosis and treatment of human cancers with the overall goal of improving the clinical care of cancer patients. The focus of TCR is original, peer-reviewed, science-based research that successfully advances clinical medicine toward the goal of improving patients'' quality of life. The editors and an international advisory group of scientists and clinician-scientists as well as other experts will hold TCR articles to the high-quality standards. We accept Original Articles as well as Review Articles, Editorials and Brief Articles.