The invention provides a method for obtaining a three-dimensional (3D) cellular model of tissue fibrosis, such as liver fibrosis, comprising culturing epithelial cells in a 3D hydrogel in conditions suitable for a three-dimensional cellular cluster formation, wherein the hydrogel comprises a crosslinked hydrophilic polymer having a shear modulus of at least 4 kPa, such as between about 4 and about 10 kPa.