Cell cultures are indispensable for both basic and applied research. Advancements in cell culture and analysis increase their utility for basic research and translational applications. A marked development in this direction is advent of three-dimensional (3D) cultures. The extent of advancement in 3D cell culture methods over the past decade has warranted referring to a single cell type being cultured as an aggregate or spheroid using simple scaffolds as “traditional.” In recent years, the development of “next-generation” devices has enabled cultured cells to mimic their natural environments much better than the traditional 3D culture systems. Automated platforms like chip-based devices, magnetic- and acoustics-based assembly devices, di-electrophoresis (DEP), micro pocket cultures (MPoC), and 3D bio-printing provide a dynamic environment compared to the rather static conditions of the traditional simple scaffold-based 3D cultures. Chip-based technologies, which are centered on principles of microfluidics, are revolutionizing the ways in which cell culture and analysis can be compacted into table-top instruments. A parallel evolution in analytical devices enabled efficient assessment of various complex physiological and pathological endpoints. This is augmented by concurrent development of software enabling rapid large-scale automated data acquisition and analysis like image cytometry, elastography, optical coherence tomography, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), and biosensors. The techniques and devices utilized for the purpose of 3D cell culture and subsequent analysis depend primarily on the requirement of the study. We present here an in-depth account of the devices for obtaining and analyzing 3D cell cultures.

中文翻译：

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用于获取和分析三维细胞培养物的设备和技术

细胞培养对于基础研究和应用研究都是必不可少的。细胞培养和分析的进步增加了它们在基础研究和转化应用中的效用。这个方向的一个显着发展是三维 (3D) 文化的出现。在过去十年中，3D 细胞培养方法的进步程度已经证明使用简单支架将单一细胞类型作为聚集体或球体培养是“传统的”。近年来，“下一代”设备的发展使培养细胞能够比传统的 3D 培养系统更好地模拟其自然环境。自动化平台，如基于芯片的设备、基于磁性和声学的组装设备、双电泳 (DEP)、微袋培养 (MPoC)、与传统简单的基于支架的 3D 培养的静态条件相比，3D 生物打印提供了一个动态环境。以微流体原理为中心的基于芯片的技术正在彻底改变将细胞培养和分析集成到台式仪器中的方式。分析设备的并行发展能够有效评估各种复杂的生理和病理终点。同时开发的软件能够实现快速的大规模自动化数据采集和分析，如图像细胞术、弹性成像、光学相干断层扫描、表面增强拉曼散射 (SERS) 和生物传感器，从而增强了这一点。用于 3D 细胞培养和后续分析的技术和设备主要取决于研究的要求。