Abstract
The invasive ability of cancer cells is a crucial function for cancer metastasis and the surrounding microenvironment of cancer cells in living tissues is three-dimension (3D). Therefore, to establish an in vitro invasion assay in a 3D system to predict cancer invasive ability is valuable in the research for cancer metastasis. Here, we describe a 3D invasion assay for observing the morphology and comparing the invasive ability of cancer cells in artificial 3D environments (Yang et al., 2012). Collagen I gels are used to cover on the top of cancer cells attached on coverslip glass dish and medium containing FBS is added as a chemoattractant. After incubation for a suitable time, the cells are fixed and stained. The invasion index can be calculated and the morphology can be imaged with a laser confocal microscope.
Keywords: 3D invasion, Collagen gel, Invasion index
Materials and Reagents
Equipment
Software
Procedure
Day 1
Day 2 or 3
Recipes
Acknowledgments
This protocol was carried out as described in Sanz-Moreno et al. (2008) with minor modifications. The establishment of this protocol was funded by the National Health Research Institutes (NHRI-EX100-10037BI to M-H.Y.; NHRI-EX100-9931BI to K-J.W.); the National Science Council (NSC 99-2314-B-010-007-MY3 and 100-2321-B-010-015 to M-H.Y.; NSC 100-2321-B-039-002 to M-C.H.); Taipei Veterans General Hospital (VGH 100-C-088, 101-C-005 to M-H.Y.); Veterans General Hospitals University System of Taiwan Joint Research Program (VGHUST101-G7-4-1 to M-H.Y.); a grant from the Ministry of Education, Aim for the Top University Plan (to M-H.Y.); a grant from the Department of Health, Center of Excellence for Cancer Research (DOH100-TD-C-111-007 to M-H.Y; DOH101-TD-C-111-005 to M-C.H.); and the Sister Institution Fund of China Medical University and Hospital and MD Anderson Cancer Center.
References
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