ABSTRACT
Spheroid/aggregate culture techniques have gained interest among regenerative medicine researchers because they provide an intermediate system, with biological complexity between the standard monolayer cell culture and animal models. Inkjet-based biofabricator for patterning mammalian cells in order to improve the speed and reproducibility of three-dimensional (3D) cell spheroid formation is a possible option. Inkjet technology is a promising approach to increase the throughput of rapid screening for personalized drug screening. This chapter focuses on the use of inkjet-based bioprinting for the formation of cancer spheroid cultures. It presents the use of a thermal inkjet-based biofabricator and that of the hanging-drop culture technique to improve the speed and reproducibility of 3D cell aggregate/spheroid formation. While the effect on metastatic behavior remains to be shown, tumorous spheroids/aggregates can be engineered to a desired size by inkjet-based biofabrication, which can be incorporated into the design of future rapid screening platforms.
