Three-dimensional culture models: emerging platforms for screening the antitumoral efficacy of nanomedicines - supplementary figure

Nanomedicines have been investigated for delivering drugs to tumors due to their ability to accumulate

in the tumor tissues. 2D in vitro cell culture has been used to investigate the antitumoral potential of

nanomedicines. However, a 2D model cannot adequately mimic the in vivo tissue conditions because

of the lack of cell–cell interaction, a gradient of nutrients and the expression of genes. To overcome

this limitation, 3D cell culture models have emerged as promising platforms that better replicate the

complexity of native tumors. For this purpose, different techniques can be used to produce 3D

models, including scaffold-free, scaffold-based and microfluidic-based models. This review addresses the

principles, advantages and limitations of these culture methods for evaluating the antitumoral efficacy of

nanomedicines.