Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41718329›Full record

ArticleMethods and protocols2026

In Vitro 3D Model of Human Endometrial Stromal and Trophoblast Cells: Techniques for an Optimized Formation and Cryopreservation of Spheroids.

Karthika Muthuraj, Iwona Scheliga, Dunja M Baston-Buest, Jana Bender-Liebenthron, Jan-Steffen Kruessel, Alexandra P Bielfeld

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Methods and protocols, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Karthika MuthurajDepartment of Obstetrics/Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine, UniKiD Center for Reproductive Medicine (UniKiD), Medical Faculty and University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Universitätsstraße 1, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany.ORCID 0009-0003-6465-2497
Iwona ScheligaDepartment of Obstetrics/Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine, UniKiD Center for Reproductive Medicine (UniKiD), Medical Faculty and University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Universitätsstraße 1, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany.ORCID 0009-0004-4748-5276
Dunja M Baston-BuestDepartment of Obstetrics/Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine, UniKiD Center for Reproductive Medicine (UniKiD), Medical Faculty and University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Universitätsstraße 1, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-4934-1351
Jana Bender-LiebenthronDepartment of Obstetrics/Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine, UniKiD Center for Reproductive Medicine (UniKiD), Medical Faculty and University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Universitätsstraße 1, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany.
Jan-Steffen KruesselDepartment of Obstetrics/Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine, UniKiD Center for Reproductive Medicine (UniKiD), Medical Faculty and University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Universitätsstraße 1, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-6862-2143
Alexandra P BielfeldDepartment of Obstetrics/Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine, UniKiD Center for Reproductive Medicine (UniKiD), Medical Faculty and University Hospital Duesseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Universitätsstraße 1, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-5260-1292

Funding

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft DFG, BI1963/11-1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) cell culture models provide physiologically relevant systems that mimic the native endometrial environment better than 2D models and offer reliable platforms to study embryo implantation and maternal-embryo interactions. One widely used 3D culture model is the generation of spheroids. However, standardized and reproducible methods for generating uniform spheroids from trophoblast and endometrial stromal cells are limited. In this study, we established and validated a robust protocol for spheroid formation using human trophoblast (HTR8/SVneo, JEG3) and endometrial stromal (St-T1b, tHESC) cell lines. The protocol was further extended to generate spheroids from decidualized tHESC, representing a novel approach that closely reflects the receptive endometrial environment. Key parameters, including cell concentration and methyl cellulose supplementation, were optimized to produce compact and homogeneous spheroids. Spheroid formation was monitored at defined intervals (0, 8, 24, 32, and 48 h), and decidualized spheroids were assessed up to 72 h. Long-term cryopreservation over 11 months demonstrated high post-thaw viability across all spheroid types, as confirmed by Calcein-AM staining. This standardized workflow provides a reliable 3D model incorporating hormonally primed stromal cells and offers a practical platform to investigate the mechanisms underlying normal and trophoblast invasion in vitro.

Indexed as

3D spheroid modeldecidualized spheroidsfreezing of spheroidsmethyl cellulosepost-thaw viability

Identifiers

PMID41718329
PMCPMC12922085

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.