SMARTSPHERO
3D spheroid formation and culture plate
Reproducible, Anchored Spheroids on a Single Focal Plane
SmartSphero® is a hydrogel-based microwell platform designed for reproducible spheroid formation, culture and imaging. Its controlled microwell geometry promotes uniform spheroid formation, while proprietary Anchoring Point Technology (APT®) helps retain spheroids during medium exchanges and experimental handling.
By positioning spheroids on a single focal plane, SmartSphero facilitates high-resolution imaging, longitudinal monitoring and automated image acquisition.
How SmartSphero works
SmartSphero® combines anti-adhesive polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogel microwells with proprietary Anchoring Point Technology (APT®) to support controlled spheroid formation.
Following cell seeding, the microwell geometry guides cells towards predefined positions, promoting their self-assembly into compact spheroids. The anchoring points help retain spheroids during routine manipulations such as medium exchange and compound addition.
By maintaining spheroids at predictable positions on a single focal plane, SmartSphero facilitates repeated imaging, longitudinal monitoring and automated image acquisition. Its optically transparent hydrogel and glass-bottom design support microscopy-based characterization.
PLATE YOUR CELLS. LET THEM ASSEMBLE. MEASURE.
Ready-to-use plates
Single focal plane imaging
Reduced spheroid loss
High Throughput spheroid formation
High-resolution imaging
In situ spheroid characterization
Proprietary hydrogel microwell design
SmartSphero uses precisely structured PEG hydrogel microwells with inclined walls that guide seeded cells towards the bottom of each microwell.
At predefined contact points, the proprietary Anchoring Point Technology (APT®) helps retain the developing spheroids in place, limiting their displacement during medium exchanges and experimental handling.
This controlled geometry supports the formation of spheroids at predictable locations and helps maintain their positioning on a common focal plane for microscopy and repeated image acquisition.
High statistical robustness
through individual spheroid tracking
SmartSphero® enables the generation of up to 55 spheroids per well, providing multiple individual data points within each experimental condition.
Thanks to proprietary Anchoring Point Technology (APT®), each spheroid remains at a defined position, enabling individual identification and tracking throughout the experiment. This allows repeated measurements on the same spheroid over time, rather than relying solely on population-averaged responses.
By combining multiple spheroid-level measurements with longitudinal tracking, SmartSphero supports more detailed characterization of spheroid variability and statistically robust experimental analyses.
Automation driven
SmartSphero plates are designed around standard multiwell plate formats to facilitate their integration into existing laboratory workflows.
Their defined microwell positions and single-focal-plane arrangement simplify the localization of individual spheroids during repeated imaging. The anchoring technology also helps retain spheroids during liquid-handling steps such as medium exchange and compound addition.
These features make SmartSphero suitable for developing automated spheroid culture, microscopy and image-based screening workflows, subject to compatibility with the instruments and experimental protocols used.
Experimental evidence and published applications
Spheroid Retention and Reproducibility
SmartSphero's Anchoring Point Technology (APT®) is designed to reduce spheroid displacement during routine culture manipulations.
In an internal comparison involving vigorous medium exchanges, spheroid loss was below 12% in microwells equipped with anchoring points, compared with 86% in microwells without anchoring points.
These results illustrate the contribution of the anchoring geometry to spheroid retention under the tested conditions. Retention may vary with cell type, culture duration and liquid-handling protocol.
Published application: Pancreatic β-Cell spheroids
In a peer-reviewed study published in eLife in 2026, Robben and colleagues described a high-throughput assay using microstructured PEG hydrogel plates developed with 4Dcell to generate uniformly sized MIN6 pancreatic β-cell spheroids.
The platform supported parallel fluorescence imaging of calcium oscillations and the measurement of insulin secretion, enabling functional characterization and pharmacological testing of the spheroid model.
This study demonstrates how controlled spheroid positioning in multiwell plates can support functional 3D cell-based assays.
SmartSphero Plate Formats and Technical Specifications
SmartSphero is available in standard multiwell plate formats designed to integrate spheroid formation, culture and imaging into laboratory workflows. The microstructured hydrogel arrays provide defined positions for spheroid formation, while the glass-bottom design supports microscopy-based analysis.
Specification
Plate formats
Microwell material
Microwell architecture
Plate bottom
Microwells per well
Optical compatibility
Standard plate dimensions
ECM coating
SmartSphero
24-well and 96-well
Polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogel
Inclined walls with APT® contact points
Glass, #1.5 (0.16–0.19 mm)
Configuration-dependent: 19 or 55
Brightfield and fluorescence microscopy
SLAS/ANSI-compatible
Optional, according to configuration
SmartSphero® applications in kidney disease modelling
SmartSphero technology can be integrated into specialized 3D disease-modeling workflows requiring controlled spheroid formation and repeated imaging.
Discover how 4Dcell applies its 3D culture technologies to the development of kidney disease models through the SmartKidney® platform.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
SMARTSPHERO CATALOG
Explore SmartSphero plate configurations to select the format best suited to your spheroid culture, imaging and screening requirements. Access technical specifications, user guides and ordering information, or contact the 4Dcell team to discuss your experimental needs.
