Three-Dimensional (3D) Cell Culture for Advancing Cell and Gene Therapies

The rapidly advancing fields of cell, gene, and extracellular vesicle (EV) therapy present groundbreaking opportunities to treat a diverse range of diseases. CAR T-cell therapy, a cornerstone of cell therapy, has shown remarkable efficacy in oncology by leveraging the immune system to target cancer cells. Meanwhile, stem cell therapy continues to provide promising treatments for neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, and metabolic disorders such as diabetes. Similarly, gene therapy has achieved significant milestones with FDA-approved treatments for genetic disorders like hemophilia and spinal muscular atrophy. Emerging simultaneously, EV therapy illustrates potential as an advanced drug delivery system and tool for intercellular communication, boasting applications in regenerative medicine and diagnostics.

Despite these strides, scalable production of cells, genes, and EVs remains a substantial challenge due to the need for precise manufacturing processes that ensure product safety, efficacy, and scalability. Traditional two-dimensional (2D) culture systems often fall short, unable to replicate the intricate in vivo environment of human tissues, leading to inconsistent therapeutic product quality and yield variability. This inconsistency hinders the production of cost-effective, high-quality therapies suitable for widespread clinical application.

Three-dimensional (3D) cell culture systems emerge as promising solutions to these challenges, offering environments that closely mimic physiological conditions. These systems enhance cell yield, scalability, quality, and production consistency, as cells in 3D cultures exhibit improved viability and functionality, mirroring natural in vivo behavior. Further, 3D culture technologies can streamline production processes, reducing reliance on manual interventions and lowering production costs—addressing crucial factors for meeting both clinical and commercial demands effectively.

This Research Topic seeks to explore the transformative potential of 3D cell culture systems in revolutionizing the production of cell, gene, and EV therapies. To gain deeper insights into technological advancements and tackle existing manufacturing challenges, we invite submissions on topics including, but not limited to:

• Fundamental studies on the advantages and disadvantages of 3D culture
• Effects of microenvironment factors on cell culture
• Innovations in 3D culture technologies
• Applications of 3D culture technologies for cell, gene, and EV therapies
• Comparative analyses of 2D versus 3D culture systems
• Emerging research and novel applications in the field

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: cell and gene therapy, extracellular vesicles, biomanufacturing, 3D cell culture system, scalable manufacturing, microenvironment

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.