Author(s): Pereira, Joana ; Avatade, Nikhil ; Loureiro, Cláudia ; Matos, Paulo ; Amaral, Margarida ; Jordan, Peter
Date: 2016
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.18/4012
Origin: Repositório Científico do Instituto Nacional de Saúde
Subject(s): Vias de Transdução de Sinal e Patologias Associadas; Colorectal Cancer; Inflammatory Bwel Disease; Cystic Fibrosis; Organoids; 3D culture; Model Systems
Cellular models are important tools in various research areas related to colorectal biology and associated diseases. Herein, we review the most widely used cell lines and the different techniques to grow them, either as cell monolayer, polarized two-dimensional epithelia on membrane filters, or as three-dimensional spheres in scaffoldfree or matrix-supported culture conditions. Moreover, recent developments, such as gut-on-chip devices or the ex vivo growth of biopsy-derived organoids, are also discussed. We provide an overview on the potential applications but also on the limitations for each of these techniques, while evaluating their contribution to provide more reliable cellular models for research, diagnostic testing, or pharmacological validation related to colon physiology and pathophysiology.
