Metastatic Assay
Metastatic Assay - Related Videos
09:14
An In Vitro System to Study Tumor Dormancy and the Switch to Metastatic Growth
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Cited by 39 •
2011
A modified 3-D in vitro system is presented in which growth characteristics of several tumor cell lines in reconstituted basement membrane correlate with the dormant or proliferative behavior of the tumor cells at a metastatic secondary site in vivo.
03:52
Experimental Metastatic Melanoma Mouse Model: A Platform to Study the Metastatic Potential of Melanoma Cells in the Lungs
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2023
In this video, melanoma cells are intravenously injected through the tail vein in the mouse model. The melanoma cells further travel through the circulatory system, adapting to the distant microenvironment and causing metastasis in organs like lungs.
11:27
Modeling Spontaneous Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma (mRCC) in Mice Following Nephrectomy
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Cited by 23 •
2014
Models of spontaneous metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) disease progression can be used for evaluating treatments in a clinically relevant setting. This protocol demonstrates different procedures for orthotopic kidney tumor cell implantation, proper nephrectomy, and finally outlines a necropsy guide for visual and bioluminescent scoring of metastatic burden and localization.
07:44
Practical Considerations in Studying Metastatic Lung Colonization in Osteosarcoma Using the Pulmonary Metastasis Assay
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Cited by 19 •
2018
The goal of this article is to provide a detailed description of the protocol for the pulmonary metastasis assay (PuMA). This model permits researchers to study metastatic osteosarcoma (OS) cell growth in lung tissue using a widefield fluorescence or confocal laser-scanning microscope.
07:31
Injection of Syngeneic Murine Melanoma Cells to Determine Their Metastatic Potential in the Lungs
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Cited by 13 •
2016
Metastasis plays a profound role in the virulence of cancer, accounting for an estimated 90% of deaths. We report a protocol for a metastatic melanoma model in mice that is useful for determining the efficacy of therapeutic agents against this clinical phenomenon.
FAQs
Migration measures movement through a porous membrane, whereas invasion adds an extracellular-matrix substitute that represents a tissue barrier. Cells must cross both the membrane and the matrix-coated barrier in the invasion format. This distinction helps researchers determine whether a treatment or signaling change affects general motility or the more demanding ability to penetrate surrounding matrix.
The chemoattractant establishes a directional signal across the assay chamber, encouraging tumor cells to move toward the membrane side containing that signal. Researchers can then quantify how many cells cross the barrier under defined conditions. Changing the cellular or microenvironmental context allows the assay to examine factors that influence directed movement and metastatic potential.
Three-dimensional cultures and organoids provide model systems that differ from a simple porous-membrane setup and can represent tumor growth in a more spatially organized context. Using these formats alongside membrane assays helps researchers examine metastatic behavior across complementary experimental conditions, rather than relying on a single measurement of cells crossing a defined barrier.
Results can reveal differences in metastatic potential among tumor cell lines and support investigation of signaling pathways or microenvironmental influences associated with dissemination. When researchers compare conditions, the number of cells that cross a barrier or the growth observed in a model can also help evaluate whether a candidate therapy may limit invasion or metastatic behavior.
A typical workflow places tumor cells on one side of a porous membrane and a chemoattractant on the opposite side. For invasion measurements, the membrane may first receive an extracellular-matrix substitute. After cells move under the defined conditions, researchers quantify those that have crossed the barrier to compare metastatic behavior between experimental groups.
The choice depends on which aspect of metastatic behavior requires measurement. Membrane formats provide a defined way to compare migration or invasion, while three-dimensional cultures and organoids support related studies in structured tumor models. Animal models extend the investigation to growth at distant sites. These approaches can be used as complementary models rather than interchangeable measurements.
Cancer researchers use these assays to compare tumor cell lines, examine how signaling pathways and microenvironmental influences affect dissemination-related behavior, and assess candidate treatments. Measurements may include cells crossing a membrane, invasion through an extracellular-matrix substitute, growth in three-dimensional or organoid systems, or molecular changes linked to metastatic potential.