TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION

This invention describes a sterile cellulose-coated device for 3D culture of normal and cancer adherent cells. Cells in aggregates are induced to reduce their proliferation, synthesize proteins and differentiate, and/or enter into an apoptotic process.

This device is a research tool for:

-cell adhesion studies: matrix/cell relationships
-cell-cell communication studies
- research on cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis.

Results were obtained using:

-mouse Swiss 3T3 and L929 fibroblasts
-mouse MC 3T3 pre-osteoblasts
-mouse melanoma B16C3, B16 F0, B16 F1, B16F10
-human melanoma FO-1
-primary human melanoma cell culture
-mouse B16F10 melanoma explants
-human melanoma explants