ScienceSeptember 7, 2026

spheroids

SFEER-oydz

Definition

Small, three-dimensional clusters or aggregates of cells grown in a laboratory environment to mimic the structure and function of tissue.

Etymology

Derived from the Greek 'sphaira' (sphere) and the suffix '-oid' (resembling), the word describes something that is spherical in shape but not a perfect sphere.

In the news

The researchers used their RNA-sequencing method on human endothelial spheroids to study transcriptional changes in a complex, three-dimensional structure without disturbing it.

New method allows scientists to follow gene activity over time in the same cells

Read the full article ↗

WebWire

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