Li Kan, He Yibo, Jin Xue, Jin Ketao, Qian Jun
School of Basic Medical Sciences, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China.
Department of Surgical Oncology, Hangzhou Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310006, China.
J Transl Med. 2025 May 1;23(1):497. doi: 10.1186/s12967-025-06349-x.
Tumor organoid models have emerged as valuable 3D in vitro systems to study cancer behavior in a physiologically relevant environment. The composition and architecture of the extracellular matrix (ECM) play critical roles in tumor organoid culture by influencing the tumor microenvironment and tumor behavior. Traditional matrices such as Matrigel and collagen, have been widely used, but their batch-to-batch variability and limited tunability hinder their reproducibility and broader applications. To address these challenges, researchers have turned to synthetic/engineered matrices and biopolymer-based matrices, which offer precise tunability, reproducibility, and chemically defined compositions. However, these matrices also present challenges of their own. In this review, we explore the significance of ECMs in tumor organoid culture, discuss the limitations of commonly used matrices, and highlight recent advancements in engineered/synthetic matrices for improved tumor organoid modeling.
肿瘤类器官模型已成为在生理相关环境中研究癌症行为的有价值的三维体外系统。细胞外基质（ECM）的组成和结构通过影响肿瘤微环境和肿瘤行为在肿瘤类器官培养中发挥关键作用。传统基质如基质胶和胶原蛋白已被广泛使用，但其批次间的可变性和有限的可调性阻碍了它们的可重复性和更广泛的应用。为应对这些挑战，研究人员已转向合成/工程化基质和基于生物聚合物的基质，这些基质具有精确的可调性、可重复性和化学定义的组成。然而，这些基质也有自身的挑战。在本综述中，我们探讨了细胞外基质在肿瘤类器官培养中的重要性，讨论了常用基质的局限性，并强调了工程化/合成基质在改善肿瘤类器官建模方面的最新进展。
