Colorectal Cancer

This video describes the procedure to obtain tumor cell suspension from patient-derived xenograft or PDX cancer mouse models. Small animal models provide an expeditious, reproducible, and adaptable platform to study tumor progression and different metastatic...

The video describes the laser dissection of the 3D organotypic co-culture model with micron-level precision. In 3D organotypic models, stromal constituents such as fibroblasts are 3-dimensionally co-cultured with cancer epithelial cells. The 3D model serves as an experimental tool that enables invasion and cancer-stroma interactions to be studied in near-physiological conditions.

This video describes the technique of studying the cytoskeleton and focal adhesions in primary human colon cancer cells to understand its variations depending on substrate rigidity. This culture of cancer cells on soft and hard substrates allows various downstream biophysical measurements for cancer prognosis.

Spheroids are a type of 3D cell culture model used to more accurately represent a cell’s environment compared to 2D cell culture monolayer models. In the example protocol, we will see scientists generate spheroids from a colorectal cancer cell line and apply live-cell imaging to track the spheroids’ growth.

This video describes the microtubule-binding assay used to separate the microtubule-binding tau protein from non-binding hyperphosphorylated tau protein fractions in colorectal cancer cells. This assay helps determine the effect of various chemicals that can alter the phosphorylation status of tau protein, affecting its microtubule binding.

This video describes the detailed protocol for generating 3D organoids from murine-model derived colorectal cancer cells by propagating them on artificial extracellular matrix coated plates. These CRC organoids can be used as a model to study the primary growth of human tumor cells and metastasis.

This video describes the traction force microscopy assay. The assay determines the cellular traction of human colon cancer cells on the extracellular matrix present on soft elastic hydrogel having embedded fluorescent beads. The resultant displacement of fluorescent beads is measured using an appropriate software.

This video describes a detailed protocol for isolating circulating tumor cells from the whole blood sample of a euthanized colorectal tumor mouse model. These isolated CTCs can be cultured and used for intended downstream analysis.

This video describes the technique of generating CRC organoids transduced by GFP lentiviral particles for enabling fluorescent imaging. These GFP labeled organoids, when placed in animal models, help to study tumor invasion and metastasis.

This video describes the extraction of circulating microRNA from plasma samples of colorectal cancer patients using organic extraction followed by glass-fiber column enrichment. miRNAs are stable in biological fluids such as serum and plasma, which renders them ideal circulating biomarkers for cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment decision-making and monitoring. This method will help identify new circulating biomarkers capable of predicting clinical outcomes in patients.

This video describes the protocol for detecting total cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) using 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA). This method helps visualize ROS localization in the adherent cells using a fluorescence microscope and further quantify ROS intensity with a fluorescence plate reader.

This video describes a protocol to detect radiation-induced DNA repair foci in the colon cancer cell lines using immunofluorescence staining. DNA repair proteins get activated at the DNA damage site; therefore, we can detect them using specific antibodies and visualize them under a fluorescence microscope.

This video describes DNA isolation protocol from stool samples of colon tumor-bearing mice. The extracted DNA is amplified using PCR, and the product is further cleaned using a magnetic beads-based approach. This method can be used to determine the effect of environmental enrichment on colon microbiota and animal mortality.

This video describes a protocol for assessing the phosphorylation status of tau protein by a phosphatase assay in colorectal cancer cells. Phosphatase enzyme acts on the phosphate groups present on the tau protein, increasing the mobility of tau protein on SDS PAGE gel compared to the untreated tau protein samples.

The video describes the technique for intracecal injection of cancerous cells to develop an orthotopic mouse model with highly uniform tumors. Therefore, the orthotopic mouse model allows realistic simulation of metastasis, providing a valuable tool to study the phenotype changes during tumor growth and dissemination.

This video describes the generation of a colorectal mouse model by segmental adeno-cre infection. The infected colon segment leads to tumorigenesis within this segment of the mucosa, resulting in adenomas ultimately progressing to invasive and metastatic carcinoma. This model is an attractive platform for studies of cancer biology and preclinical therapeutic trials.

This video describes the technique of pretargeted radioimmunotherapy or PRIT, in which immunoconjugates followed by radioligands are administered for treating tumors. This radioimmunotherapy reduces radiation doses to healthy tissues and utilizes radionuclides with very low half-lives incompatible with antibody-based vectors.

This video describes the protocol for generating metastases by the PDX derived CRC organoids labeled with GFP lentivirus into the spleen of an immunodeficient mouse. Cancer micrometastases colonizing other organs can be detected using a fluorescence microscope to assess the GFP expression.

This video describes the protocol to establish a spontaneous metastasis mouse model of colorectal cancer patient-derived xenografts or PDXs. These xenograft models partially mimic the features of human carcinomas and understand the critical aspects of human malignancies, including invasion and metastasis.

This video describes the detailed protocol for intestinal resection in a murine model. This technique provides insights into ileectomy-induced bile malabsorption, overaccumulation, and toxicity in the mouse intestine.

This video describes the protocol for generating a patient-derived orthotopic xenograft colorectal cancer mouse model to study the progression of colorectal cancer cells in non-obese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficiency (NOD/SCID) mice. This murine model helps in understanding primary tumor growth and metastases pattern.