The researchers developed a platform that reconstructs the ecosystem underlying the development of tumors, starting from the analysis of cell metabolism. “We developed an in vitro microenvironment similar to the natural one for the development of pancreatic cancer cells, creating nanofibers containing optical sensors that mimic the structure of the extracellular matrix, the part of the tissues in which there are no cells. These membranes allow to reconstruct, with a high spatial and temporal resolution, the proton fluxes and the exchange networks between cells within a heterogeneous cell population: the differences between single cells, in fact, strongly influence the collective behavior of the systems and, consequently, they can affect the effectiveness of medical treatments” explains Loretta L. del Mercato.

This study paves the way for non-invasive, inexpensive, real-time analysis of single cell metabolism and identification of new drug combinations that could represent a breakthrough in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.