3D ultrastructure and morphology of stem cell spheroids by SBF-SEM
Josef Jaros a b, Ales Hampl a b, Michal Petrov c, Marketa Tesarova d
a Masaryk University, Kamenice 3, Brno, 62500, Czech Republic
b International Clinical Research Center - Center of Biomolecular and Cellular Engineering, St. Anne's University Hospital Brno, Pekařská 53, Brno, 656 91, Czech Republic
c TESCAN Brno, s.r.o., Libušina Třída 1, 623 00, Czech Republic
d CEITEC – BUT, Brno University of Technology, Technicka 3058/10, Brno, 616 00, Czech Republic
Proceedings of New Advances in Probing Cell-ECM Interactions (CellMatrix)
Berlin, Germany, 2016 October 20th - 21st
Organizers: Ovijit Chaudhuri, Allen Liu and Sapun Parekh
Poster, Josef Jaros, 061
Publication date: 25th July 2016

Stem cells are broadly studied and envisioned for use as model systems in regenerative medicine, developmental and disease modelling, as well as for evaluating the effectiveness and safety of therapeutic drugs. However, conventionally used planar cell cultivation (monolayer) lacks spatial organization of cells, which leads to aberrant behaviors: flattened shape, abnormal polarization, altered response to pharmaceutical reagents and loss of differentiated phenotype. Therefore 3D cell culture methods have been developed in efforts to produce the most possible biologically relevant 3D models in vitro.

The complex three-dimensional environment provides the cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) signaling, and also establishes structural features, such as morphology and spatial organization of cells and subcellular compartments. Still, 3D cell culture is not yet optimized due to lack of standardized analytical tools for quantifying biological response. Utilization of microscopy and imaging for morphological characterization of aggregates, individual cells and ultrastructural compartments with subsequent 3D visualization could overcome some of these limits.

High resolution 3D imaging utilizing electron microscopy of cellular ultrastructure represents excellent method to reveal in situ morphological characteristics, cell-cell interactions, organelle distribution, niches in which cells reside, and many more. Here, we present serial block-face scanning electron microscopy of stem cell spheroids, which provides scanning of relatively large overviews (typically 500 to 5000 μm2) and volumes. Staining procedures and further image processing were suited to electron dense contrasting of DNA and membranes for 3D modeling and visualization of nuclei, membranes, and organelles (e.g. Golgi apparatus, mitochondria). This method is effective for detailed morphological analysis of stem cell spheroids, organoids as well as organotypic cell cultures ex vivo.



© FUNDACIO DE LA COMUNITAT VALENCIANA SCITO
We use our own and third party cookies for analysing and measuring usage of our website to improve our services. If you continue browsing, we consider accepting its use. You can check our Cookies Policy in which you will also find how to configure your web browser for the use of cookies. More info