3D cell culture systems for a range of different cells types including tumor cells and chondrocytes. Transformed cells, such as tumor cells, have the characteristic feature of anchorage- independent growth, unlike normal cells. Some normal cells, such as chondrocytes, are also capable of anchorage-independent growth, and the phenotypic expression of these cells is known to be stronger compared with monolayer cultures. Soft agar culture is a method in which cultures are grown with cells suspended in soft agar gel, and has been used conventionally as a method to detect the abilityof cells to undergo anchorage-independent growth. As agar solidifies on cooling, the temperature must be maintained at approx. 37°C while preparing the seed culture plate. Also, since special reagents are required when harvesting the cells in the gel, the resulting culture is not suitable for analysis of cell function.

In contrast, alginate, which is an anionic polysaccharide derived from cell walls of brown algae, form a gel in the presence of calcium and liquefy to a solution upon additionofacalcium chelating agent. Alginate gel has been a choice for three-dimensional (3D) cell culture because only cultured cells can be easily harvested.

The Alginate 3D Cell Culture Kit is a convenient, easy-to-manufacture kit optimized to producealginate gel beads. This product has been used to develop successful 3D cell culture systems for a range of different cells types including tumor cells and chondrocytes.