Fig. 2

Population-level comparison of 3D vs. 2D cultures. a Representative images of spheroids in the anchors and 2D cells stained for LIVE/DEAD, ALB and BrdU. b Actin organization in one spheroid on chip (confocal slices at two vertical positions), and cells in 2D. c Evolution of the viability of the spheroids on chip and of the cells in 2D, during a 7-day culture period (n _chips = 3; n _2D = 4). d Quantification of the percentage of BrdU⁺ cells in spheroids on chip and cells in 2D, over a 7-day culture period (n _chips = 5; n _2D = 4). e ALB productivity at day 4 by spheroids on chip and cells in 2D, measured by ELISA on the supernatant (n _chips = 2; n _2D = 3). f RT-qPCR analysis of relative ALB expression to GADPH (ΔCt), in 3D and in 2D (n _chips = 3; n _2D = 3) g RT-qPCR analysis of ALB expression (Relative RNA expression), in 3D and in 2D (n _chips = 3; n _2D = 3). h Representative gel of RT-PCR analysis of ALB and GAPDH expression, in 3D and in 2D. All scale bars are 50 μm. Error bars show the standard deviation of each population. *p < 0.05, unpaired two-sample two-tailed Student’s t-tests