Characterization of Hen’s Egg White To Use It as a Novel Platform To Culture Three-Dimensional Multicellular Tumor Spheroids

• Published in: ACS omega 2020-08, Vol.5 (31), p.19760-19770
• Main Authors: Balaji, Perumalsamy, Murugadas, Anbazhagan, Ramkumar, Arunachalam, Thirumurugan, Ramasamy, Shanmugaapriya, Sellathamby, Akbarsha, Mohammad Abdulkader
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 2470-1343; 2470-1343
• DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c02508

We are standardizing protocols to develop egg white (EW) as a cost-effective platform for culture of three-dimensional (3-D) multicellular tumor spheroids for application in understanding tumor microenvironments and drug screening. In this article, we describe several physical and physiological characteristics of EW to use it as 3-D cell culture platform. Field emission scanning electron microscopy revealed the presence of different microstructures. Hydrodynamic size distribution data indicated nano- and micron-sized particles. Rheological measurements revealed the viscosity and viscoelastic behavior appropriate for maintaining cell viability and supporting 3-D cell growth under high-sheer conditions. It was found that thereis no autofluorescence, a requirement for imparting transparency and for microscopic observations of the spheroids. The EW facilitated the development of 3-D tumor spheroids, with an emphasis of difference in cell proliferation and intercellular cytoskeletal organization between two-dimensional and 3-D spheroid cultures. Put together, EW proves to be a cost-affordable and simple platform for 3-D culture of tumor spheroids.