How do we get closer to the biology we actually care about?
Published:
Model systems get picked for how easy they are to work with. Immortalized lines, 2D monolayers, one cell type, no mechanical load. Each is a step away from the thing you’re modeling, and the steps add up without anyone deciding they should.
3D engineered microtissues close part of that gap: contractile work against real resistance, more than one cell type in the dish.