Co-culture models for investigating cellular crosstalk in the glioma microenvironment
Xiaodong Niu, Yan Zhang, Yuan Wang
Abstract
Glioma is the most prevalent primary malignant tumor in the central nervous system (CNS). It represents a diverse group of brain malignancies characterized by the presence of various cancer cell types as well as an array of noncancerous cells, which together form the intricate glioma tumor microenvironment (TME). Understanding the interactions between glioma cells/glioma stem cells (GSCs) and these noncancerous cells is crucial for exploring the pathogenesis and development of glioma. This necessitates an in vitro co-culture model that closely mirrors the actual TME in vivo. In this review, we delve into the two- and three-dimensional in vitro co-culture model systems for glioma currently available. Furthermore, we explore common glioma-TME cell interactions in vitro, including interactions of glioma cells/GSCs with endothelial cells/pericytes, microglia/macrophages, T cells, astrocytes, neurons, or other multifaceted cellular interactions. This review primarily focuses on interactions between two cell types, which has provided integrated insights into glioma pathogenesis.