Penn State Researchers Develop “Snowball” Cells for Large-Scale Tissue Engineering

Researchers at Pennsylvania State University have developed a new assembly method to grow cell spheroids that could advance large-scale tissue engineering. The new technology, described in Advanced Science, introduces biohybrid spheroids that can rapidly self-assemble or “snowball” in size while maintaining cell survival.

Cells comprising spheroids face key limitations, including poor oxygen and nutrient diffusion to inner cells, an absence of waste removal, and a lack of structural support. To address these issues, the researchers combined living cells with microgels–tiny materials that mimic the supportive tissue that surrounds cells in the body. This design allows oxygen and nutrients to penetrate deeper into the structure, improving cell function and viability as the spheroids grow.

The findings suggest that biohybrid spheroids can overcome major barriers in tissue engineering. The team plans to refine the technology further to better replicate real tissues, with the long-term goal of enabling scalable tissue production and organ biofabrication.

For more information, read the article from the Pennsylvania State University.