Cell behaviour in standard 2D plastic experimental systems is often not predictive of in vivo response. This is because cell behaviour is determined by a combination of intrinsic molecular properties and the local microenvironment, which in a tissue is complex and heterogeneous: tissues are composed of multiple cell types and matrix proteins organized into specific architectures. It is therefore not surprising that homogenous cell populations cultured in monolayers on the surface of plastic dishes, a microenvironment that has little resemblance to that in vivo, often fail to produce data predictive of cellular response in humans. Physiologically relevant, personalized, tissue mimetic systems offer the opportunity to systematically dissect fundamental mechanisms of tissue assembly and disease to allow identification of novel therapy targets to manipulate these processes for therapeutic benefit. Furthermore, such systems offer the potential to improve the effectiveness of therapy discovery and to enable the design of personalized treatments
