Spheroid culture model of
ovarian cancer metastasis: Spheroids are entities present in the
malignant ascites fluid of ovarian cancer patients with late-stage disease; they
afford the cells with increased viability, protection from chemotherapeutic
insult, and increased capacity to re-attach and grow as secondary tumours in
the peritoneal cavity. We routinely perform experiments in which ovarian cancer
cells are cultured in suspension, where cells aggregate to form multicellular
clusters called spheroids. The overall focus of our research efforts is to
decipher the altered signalling pathways and pathophysiological processes that
exist in ovarian cancer spheroids to identify new therapeutic vulnerabilities
for metastatic disease and to overcome chemo-resistance.
