3D Imaging of cancer cells within the Mimetix scaffold
MCF7, Breast Cancer Cells
The Mimetix fibres are labelled with Rhodamine 6G. The thickness of Mimetix scaffold allows for having a 3D environment while maintaining a certain translucence, thus allowing for easy and robust imaging. This study has investigated the localisation depth of MCF7 breast cancer cells in the Mimetix scaffold after 4 days of culture (nuclei stained with TO-PRO-3, blue).
The video below shows a Z-stack (slices through the scaffold from the top to the bottom at 2 μm steps), 4 days after seeding. At day 1 most cells are located with the top 1/3 of the scaffold, whereas they occupy the top 2/3 of the scaffold with few cells observed even deeper at day 4.
HepG2 Liver cancer Cell

Images taken using a Nikon Eclispe C1 confocal microscope. HepG2 liver cells were grown for 21 days in the Mimetix scaffold. Cells are stained with DAPI and actin; fibres are electrospun together with Rhodamine 6G (a and b).
Cancer cells form a 3D network inside the scaffold (c), use the fibres to support themselves (d) and populate the entire scaffold (e)