The Basque biocompany Dro Biosystems has developed a new method for three-dimensional culture of adherent cells that enables the natural environment for cell growth present in most tissues of all animals to be recreated in the laboratory.

This progress proves important because recent studies show the advisability of static three-dimensional culture of cells and, in fact, this option seems to be the most reliable when predicting response to certain courses of treatment in patients, as well as when producing cells which are later to be used as therapeutic treatment.

Cell cultures of this type are traditionally carried out on the inner surface of culture bottles or dishes. However, this kind of growth creates the so-called cell monolayers, less suitable for studying cell behaviour, and the culture conditions in macroporous support particles, which have been used as an alternative, create friction forces between particles and a heterogeneous atmosphere for cells.

In contrast, the DRO Biosystems system, based on SSB (Static Support Bed) technology developed in-house by the company, uses microscopic wires coated with a vitreous surface as a support for cell propagation. Thanks to this technique, the micro-wires are spaced equidistantly and parallel to each other, thereby imitating the natural environment for cell growth.

By using the system developed by DRO Biosystems, researchers and industry have a powerful tool available for studying pharmaceutical products and for cell production.