Microfluidic cell culture of patient-derived tumor cell spheroids

A method for identifying an agent for treating cancer, the method comprising:

• culturing patient-derived tumor cell spheroids in a three-dimensional microfluidic device in the presence and absence of a first test agent, detecting a change in the tumor cell spheroid culture indicative of a condition that is likely to reduce proliferation and/or dispersion of the tumor cell spheroids in the presence of the first test agent as compared to the absence of the first test agent;
• wherein if the change in the tumor cell spheroid culture is indicative of a condition that is likely to reduce the proliferation and/or dispersion of the tumor cell spheroids in the presence of the first test agent as compared to the absence of the first test agent, then the first test agent can be used to treat cancer,
• wherein the culturing of patient-derived tumor cell spheroids comprises:
• mincing a primary tumor sample in a medium supplemented with serum;
• treating the minced primary tumor sample with a composition comprising an enzyme;
• collecting tumor spheroids having a diameter of 10 μm to 500 μm from the enzyme treated sample;
• suspending the tumor spheroid in biocompatible gel;
• and
• culturing the tumor spheroids in a three dimensional microfluidic device.

A microfluidic device comprising:

• a substrate comprised of an optically transparent material and further comprising
• i) a first gel cage region and a second gel cage region
• ii) a first fluid channel and a second fluid channel;
• iii) one or more fluid channel inlets;
• iv) one or more fluid channel outlets;
• and
• v) a plurality of posts;
• wherein
• a portion of the first gel cage region is flanked by a portion of the second gel cage region, thereby creating a gel cage region-gel cage region interface region;
• the first and second gel cage regions are separated by a barrier which does not allow intermixing between components present in the two gel cage regions;
• a portion of the first gel cage region is flanked by all or a portion of the first fluid channel, thereby creating a first gel cage region-fluid channel interface region;
• a portion of the second gel cage region is flanked by all or a portion of the second fluid channel, thereby creating a second gel cage region-fluid channel interface region;
• and
• each gel cage region comprises one row of posts along the length of the gel cage region at the first and second gel cage region-fluid channel interfaces.