A Multiparametric Analysis Reveals Differential Behavior of Spheroid Cultures on Distinct Ultra-Low Attachment Plates Types

Abstract

Spheroids have become principal three-dimensional biological models to study cancer, developmental processes, and drug efficacy. For spheroid generation, ultra-low attachment plates are noteworthy due to their simplicity, compatibility with automation, and experimental and commercial accessibility. Nonetheless, it is unknown whether and to what degree the plate type impacts spheroid formation and biology. This study employed automated brightfield microscopy to systematically compare the size and eccentricity of spheroids formed in six different plate types using four distinct human cell lines, i.e., CCD-1137Sk fibroblasts, HaCaT keratinocytes, and MDA-MB-231 and HT-29 cancer cells. Results showed that all plate types exhibited similar sphe-roid-forming capabilities, and the gross patterns of growth or shrinkage during four days after seeding were comparable. Yet, size and eccentricity varied systematically among specific cell lines and plate types. A confocal wholemount analysis by a novel pipeline of AI-based 3D-image analysis procedures revealed changes in cell proliferation, cell number, nuclear volume, and keratino-cyte differentiation, which were accompanied by altered YAP1-signals. The findings show that the plate type may influence the outcome of experimental campaigns. It is advisable to scan different plate types for the optimal configuration for a specific investigation instead of using one standard plate for all kinds of applications.