Splitting Spheroids for Sub-culturing and Shipping: A Procedure for Propagating and Transferring Spheroids from Small Bowel Neuroendocrine Tumor

Spheroids are in vitro cultures of cells self-aggregated to form three-dimensional spherical structures. For propagating tumor spheroids, begin with spheroids cultured in a suitable extracellular matrix, or ECM, contained in a culture plate.

Triturate using a micropipette to break the ECM mechanically and loosen the spheroids. Transfer the spheroid-ECM mix to a microcentrifuge tube.

Centrifuge at a low speed to pelletize the spheroids and separate them from the ECM in the supernatant. Discard the spent ECM-containing supernatant. Transfer the tube containing the spheroid pellet on ice to prevent ECM solidification during subsequent steps.

Supplement the pellet with fresh liquefied ECM. For sub-culturing, mix the contents by pipetting up and down repeatedly to dissociate the spheroid cells and release them into suspension.

Seed this mixture containing spheroid-forming cells and ECM into a fresh culture dish. ECM solidifies, enabling the entrapment of tumor cells. Add the desired growth medium. Incubate to facilitate the growth of entrapped cells into new spheroids.

For shipping purposes, transfer the spheroid-ECM mixture into a culture flask. Allow the ECM to solidify and entrap the spheroids within.

Fill the flask with growth media to avoid cell-shearing and to maintain the viability of the spheroids. Transfer the flask to a shipping package.