Cells assemble invadopodia-like structures and invade into matrigel in a matrix metalloprotease dependent manner in the circular invasion assay

The ability of tumor cells to invade is one of the hallmarks of the metastatic phenotype. To elucidate the mechanisms by which tumor cells acquire an invasive phenotype, in vitro assays have been developed that mimic the process of cancer cell invasion through basement membrane or in the stroma. We...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2012-02, Vol.7 (2), p.e30605
Main Authors: Yu, Xinzi, Machesky, Laura M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Assaying
Basement Membrane
Biology
Cancer
Cell Adhesion
Cell adhesion & migration
Cell culture
Cell migration
Collagen
Drug Combinations
Extracellular matrix
Humans
Immunoglobulins
Invasiveness
Laminin
Life sciences
Matrix metalloproteinase
Medical research
Medicine
Metalloproteases - physiology
Metalloproteinase
Metastases
Microscopic analysis
Models, Biological
Motility
Neoplasm Invasiveness - pathology
Proteoglycans
Stroma
Tumor cells
Tumors
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Summary:The ability of tumor cells to invade is one of the hallmarks of the metastatic phenotype. To elucidate the mechanisms by which tumor cells acquire an invasive phenotype, in vitro assays have been developed that mimic the process of cancer cell invasion through basement membrane or in the stroma. We have extended the characterization of the circular invasion assay and found that it provides a simple and amenable system to study cell invasion in matrix in an environment that closely mimics 3D invasion. Furthermore, it allows detailed microscopic analysis of both live and fixed cells during the invasion process. We find that cells invade in a protease dependent manner in this assay and that they assemble focal adhesions and invadopodia that resemble structures visualized in 3D embedded cells. We propose that this is a useful assay for routine and medium throughput analysis of invasion of cancer cells in vitro and the study of cells migrating in a 3D environment.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0030605