{"title":"Transmission electron microscopic analysis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cell spheres formed in 3D cultures.","authors":"Yuuki Shichi, Masakazu Fujiwara, Fujiya Gomi, Keisuke Nonaka, Fumio Hasegawa, Seiichi Shinji, Hirofumi Rokutan, Tomio Arai, Kimimasa Takahashi, Toshiyuki Ishiwata","doi":"10.1007/s00795-025-00435-1","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cell lines are classified into two types: epithelial and mesenchymal protein-expressing. Using scanning electron microscopy, we reported that these two groups differ in terms of morphology when they formed tumor spheres under three-dimensional (3D) culturing. In this study, we used transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to examine the intracellular microstructures of five epithelial and three mesenchymal PDAC cell lines in 3D culture, and compared them to the morphologies of the same cell types in two-dimensional (2D) cultures. Microvilli were present in all PDAC cells cultured in 2D and 3D, and were well developed in epithelial PDAC cells. Desmosome-like structures were only observed in epithelial PDAC cells, and were more common in 3D cultures. Secretory granules were observed in epithelial PDAC and mesenchymal PANC-1 cells, and were more common in 3D cultures. Intracytoplasmic lumina were only observed in epithelial PK-59 and T3M-4 cells cultured in 3D. Abundant filamentous aggregates were observed in 2D-cultured T3M-4 and MIA PaCa-2 cells. By contrast, entosis was observed in 3D-cultured PK-59, PK-1, and KP4 cells. Microstructural differences enhanced by 3D culturing revealed significant phenotypic diversity among PDAC cells, and may provide key insights into curing intractable pancreatic cancer.</p>","PeriodicalId":18338,"journal":{"name":"Medical Molecular Morphology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2000,"publicationDate":"2025-04-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Medical Molecular Morphology","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00795-025-00435-1","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"PATHOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cell lines are classified into two types: epithelial and mesenchymal protein-expressing. Using scanning electron microscopy, we reported that these two groups differ in terms of morphology when they formed tumor spheres under three-dimensional (3D) culturing. In this study, we used transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to examine the intracellular microstructures of five epithelial and three mesenchymal PDAC cell lines in 3D culture, and compared them to the morphologies of the same cell types in two-dimensional (2D) cultures. Microvilli were present in all PDAC cells cultured in 2D and 3D, and were well developed in epithelial PDAC cells. Desmosome-like structures were only observed in epithelial PDAC cells, and were more common in 3D cultures. Secretory granules were observed in epithelial PDAC and mesenchymal PANC-1 cells, and were more common in 3D cultures. Intracytoplasmic lumina were only observed in epithelial PK-59 and T3M-4 cells cultured in 3D. Abundant filamentous aggregates were observed in 2D-cultured T3M-4 and MIA PaCa-2 cells. By contrast, entosis was observed in 3D-cultured PK-59, PK-1, and KP4 cells. Microstructural differences enhanced by 3D culturing revealed significant phenotypic diversity among PDAC cells, and may provide key insights into curing intractable pancreatic cancer.
期刊介绍:
Medical Molecular Morphology is an international forum for researchers in both basic and clinical medicine to present and discuss new research on the structural mechanisms and the processes of health and disease at the molecular level. The structures of molecules, organelles, cells, tissues, and organs determine their normal function. Disease is thus best understood in terms of structural changes in these different levels of biological organization, especially in molecules and molecular interactions as well as the cellular localization of chemical components. Medical Molecular Morphology welcomes articles on basic or clinical research in the fields of cell biology, molecular biology, and medical, veterinary, and dental sciences using techniques for structural research such as electron microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, enzyme histochemistry, immunohistochemistry, radioautography, X-ray microanalysis, and in situ hybridization.
Manuscripts submitted for publication must contain a statement to the effect that all human studies have been reviewed by the appropriate ethics committee and have therefore been performed in accordance with the ethical standards laid down in an appropriate version of the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki. It should also be stated clearly in the text that all persons gave their informed consent prior to their inclusion in the study. Details that might disclose the identity of the subjects under study should be omitted.