Protocol for establishing rectal tumor organoid-derived monolayers in a microphysiological system to model radiotherapy
Patient-derived organoids offer greater human translational relevance than mouse models or immortalized cell lines, owing to their multicellular composition and patient-specific responses. Here, we present a protocol for establishing a human in vitro rectal tumor model for radiotherapy studies using patient-derived tumor organoids (PDTOs) and monolayer derivatives integrated into a microphysiological system (MPS). We describe steps for cultivating PDTOs, their transition into monolayers, and transfer into an MPS. This protocol enables radiotherapy modelling, toxicity testing, and adjuvant therapies screening.
Authors
- Jie Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-3569-1587)
- Felice Mastroleo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9815-8038)
- Charlotte Segers (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7546-2961)
- Sarah Lebeer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9400-6918)
- Eloïse Bouges (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-1316-538X)
- Natalie Leys
- Marco Lezzerini
Institutions
- University of Antwerp (BE)
- Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (BE)
- Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (NL)
Publication Details
- Journal
- STAR Protocols
- Published
- 2026-07-16
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xpro.2026.104708
- Primary Topic
- Cancer Cells and Metastasis
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Euratom Research and Training Programme