Abstract

Real life is made in three dimensions. Biological studies, however, have been for a long time based on 2D in vitro cultures. In the past decade, scientists have started to realize that 3D cell culturing methods are essential not only because they provide a similar environment to the in vivo tissue, but also because the cellular behavior in 3D better mimics the real biological scenario. Therefore, 3D scaffolds are having tremendous impact in several fields of modern biomedical research. However, even though with the hype this multidisciplinary field is having, there are multiple concerns regarding lack of handling and evaluating protocols that pose an uncertainty. Herein, we present our subjective reflection and our concerns on the matter, including the limitations and challenges we face from our experience working within such a field, aimed at leaving a mark on the consciousness of the 3D community.

Keywords: Biomedical research; Environment; 3D community; 3D cell cultures; Drug testing