Figure 3.

(Co-)culture of primary CD138⁺ myeloma cells in a 3D BM niche model for 14 days. (A) CD138⁺ myeloma (MM) cells expanded for 14 days in a 3D Matrigel environment, with or without supporting cells (MSCs, osteogenic MSCs (O-MSCs) and/or EPCs) n = 5. Statistical analysis compared all groups to the single cultured control group. * = P < 0.05, ** = P < 0.01. (B) Confocal images showing an overview of one representative donor (DiO, red) cultured in 3D with MSCs and EPCs for either 7 (I) or 14 days (II). DAPI (blue), MSC-EPC networks are visualized using phalloidin (yellow). Aggregates of CD138⁺ myeloma cells are indicated with white dashed circles. The scale bar represents 500 µm.