Tumor cell directed migration based on 3D printed microfilament structure

Abstract Three-dimensional (3D) cell spheroids, generated utilizing the self-organizing properties of mammalian cells, exhibit significant advantages and hold important value in simulating tissue complexity. However, they still encounter numerous limitations, including the absence of spatial anisotropy in cell spheroids, which can compromise their reliability in numerous preclinical drug tests. This study utilizes two-photon polymerization (TPP) 3D printing technology, drawing inspiration from common liquid transport structures in nature, to design a microstructure featuring periodic parallel microcavities and wedge angles. This design enables unilateral immobilization and capillary rise of soft condensed matter. This structure facilitates the directed migration of 3D cell spheroids through the physical properties of the structure itself in static culture. Consequently, the original 3D cultured cell spheroids can acquire unique anisotropy within the spatial structure in a static culture environment, presenting a novel perspective for constructing biological constructs and cultivating connections between various cell spheroids, such as organoids.