![]() Animal-free scaffold technologiesĪnimal-free scaffolds appropriate for CIVMs are often either derived from existing structural proteins and polymers in nature, such as those derived from plants or fungi, or synthetically constructed. Using animal-free materials to build CIVMs will allow these models to bridge the gap between discovery and clinical research by improving human relevance and reproducibility, and support standardisation across the in vitro research landscape (see Good In Vitro Practice). Certain polymers are useful within specific disciplines due to their mechanical or biological properties, for example, alginate is often used to model bone and cartilage due to its molecular structure and compatibility with bone cells . Many animal-free scaffold materials are non-reactive and reducing the risk of immunogenic interference with human cells. For example, synthetic scaffolds have minimal batch-to-batch variability, increasing the reproducibility of CIVMs. The different materials available each have their own advantages that can be harnessed to optimise specific assays. Lack of reproducibility may be a significant barrier to entry for the use of CIVMs in regulatory studies in the future.Ĭonstructing CIVMs with scaffolds from animal-free sources such as synthetic materials, human tissue or plant tissue allows the development of highly relevant human models. The reproducibility of CIVMs is hindered by the batch-to-batch variability of animal-derived scaffolds, such as the numerous observations of inconsistencies between batches of Matrigel. For example, numerous growth factors, chemokines and biologically active proteins have been detected by proteome array in Matrigel that may have significant implications on cellular behaviour when cells are grown in or on the matrix. The inclusion of animal-derived scaffolds in CIVMs limits their physiological relevance. ![]() Materials used as scaffolds for 3D cell cultures are often derived from animal cells, such as Matrigel, or directly extracted from animal tissue, such as rat tail collagen. ĬIVMs have diverse applications in research and regulatory testing and are a key technology in moving towards increasingly human-relevant models. The development of organoids, organotypics, micro-physiological systems and other 3D culture techniques allow the recapitulation of complex physiological tissues and organs in vitro. These complex in vitro models (CIVMs) facilitate the study of specific mechanisms or pathways using human tissue or cells in a more physiologically relevant environment than traditional 2D culture methods.
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