生物谷报道：根据布朗大学发表的一篇新研究显示，在三维空间培养的神经细胞，与传统的平面培养皿培养的神经细胞，有1,766 个基因的表现不同。
这项研究也发现，在三维空间培养的生长神经细胞，与人体中的生长情况更相似。因此培养方法是相当重要的。如果想要更了解细胞在人体中的基因表现或新药物如何与疾病战斗，三维空间的培养是更理想的。
科学家在平面的培养皿中培养细胞已经超过100年了，细胞黏附于培养皿底部，当增生时便蔓延开来。但是细胞在身体中的生长并非如此。它们悬浮于液体和胶体中，并且被其它细胞围绕着。而且这些细胞并不是固定的，它们是会移动的。
所以有些科学家怀疑，培养皿中的细胞表现并不如活体中的情况。这意味着，科学家在培养皿中了解到的细胞功能，可能与实际情况有所偏差。
这项研究发表于5月号的Tissue Engineering中，研究结果显示，培养技术可能对于细胞生长和功能有显著的影响。
(资料来源 : biocompare)
英文原文链接：
http://news.biocompare.com/newsstory.asp?id=183078
原始出处:
Tissue Engineering
Genomic and Morphological Changes of Neuroblastoma Cells in Response to Three-Dimensional Matrices
May 2007, Vol. 13, No. 5 : 1035 -1047
Grace N. Li, M.Eng.
From the Center for Biomedical Engineering, Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology, and Biotechnology Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.
Liane L. Livi, M.S.
From the Center for Biomedical Engineering, Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology, and Biotechnology Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.
Celinda M. Gourd, B.S.
From the Center for Biomedical Engineering, Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology, and Biotechnology Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.
Elizabeth S. Deweerd, M.S.
From the Center for Biomedical Engineering, Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology, and Biotechnology Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.
Diane Hoffman-Kim, Ph.D.
From the Center for Biomedical Engineering, Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology, and Biotechnology Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.
Advances in neural tissue engineering require a comprehensive understanding of neuronal growth in 3 dimensions. This study compared the gene expression of SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells cultured in 3-dimensional (3D) with those cultured in 2-dimensional (2D) environments. Microarray analysis demonstrated that, in response to varying matrix geometry, SH-SY5Y cells exhibited differential expression of 1,766 genes in collagen I, including those relevant to cytoskeleton, extracellular matrix, and neurite outgrowth. Cells extended longer neurites in 3D collagen I cultures than in 2D. Real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction experiments and morphological analysis comparing collagen I and Matrigel tested whether the differential growth and gene expression reflected influences of culture dimension or culture material. SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells responded to geometry by differentially regulating cell spreading and genes associated with actin in similar patterns for both materials; however, neurite outgrowth and the expression of the gene encoding for neurofilament varied with the type of material. Electron microscopy and mechanical analysis showed that collagen I was more fibrillar than Matrigel, with larger inter-fiber distance and higher stiffness. Taken together, these results suggest complex cell–material interactions, in which the dimension of the culture material influences gene expression and cell spreading and the structural and mechanical properties of the culture material influence gene expression and neurite outgrowth.
