Spheroid Invasion Assay
Spheroid Invasion Assay - Related Videos
09:18
Spheroid Assay to Measure TGF-β-induced Invasion
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Cited by 41 •
2011
An assay to quantitatively measure Transforming Growth Factor (TGF)-β-induced invasion in 3-dimensional collagen gels is described. This assay takes advantage of the MCF10A series of cell lines, which represent different stages of breast cancer development. This method can be adopted to be used with other cell lines and might be used to investigate other potential activators or inhibitors of invasion.
05:34
A Cancer Cell Spheroid Assay to Assess Invasion in a 3D Setting
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Cited by 112 •
2015
This method evaluates cancer cell invasion from spheroids into a surrounding 3D matrix. Spheroids are generated via the hanging drop culture method and then embedded in a matrix comprised of basement membrane materials and type I collagen. Invasion out of the spheroids is subsequently monitored.
12:19
Three-Dimensional (3D) Tumor Spheroid Invasion Assay
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Cited by 222 •
2015
Invasion of surrounding normal tissues is a defining characteristic of malignant tumors. We provide here a simple, semi-automated micro-plate assay of invasion into a natural 3D biomatrix that has been exemplified with a number of models of advanced human cancers.
03:18
Generation of a Three-Dimensional Spheroid Model of Tumor Cell Invasion
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2025
Source: Guyon, J., et al. A 3D Spheroid Model for Glioblastoma. J. Vis. Exp. (2020)The video demonstrates the generation of a three-dimensional spheroid model of tumor cell invasion. Spheroids are formed from human brain tumor cells and embedded in a collagen matrix. The tumor cells at the spheroid periphery adopt an invasive phenotype, secreting proteases to degrade the collagen and advancing to invade the surrounding matrix.
09:01
A Macrophage-Tumor Spheroid Co-Invasion Assay
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2025
Here, we present a protocol to investigate the interaction of primary human monocyte-derived macrophages with a tumor spheroid in a three-dimensional (3D) collagen I matrix, with the possibility to compare the impact of soluble and physical properties of the microenvironment on cell invasion.
FAQs
Its three-dimensional organization preserves an aggregate-based starting point before cells move into the matrix, so invasion is assessed in a spatial context rather than as movement across a flat surface. This tissue-like organization can make the assay more informative for studying tumor invasion and for relating cell behavior to extracellular-matrix interactions.
Collagen or Matrigel provides the surrounding extracellular environment through which cells must move. Comparing outward responses in these matrices links the observed phenotype to extracellular-matrix interactions, rather than measuring migration alone. The selected matrix therefore supplies context for interpreting how cancer cells invade beyond the spheroid.
Researchers can quantify invasion by measuring either the distance that cells travel outward or the area occupied by cellular outgrowth. Tracking these values over time converts visual expansion into a comparative readout. The resulting measurements can be used to evaluate differences in invasive behavior between experimental conditions.
Genetic changes can alter the amount of outward cellular movement from the spheroid. Comparing spheroids carrying different genetic changes allows investigators to associate a molecular perturbation with an invasion phenotype. This approach helps connect molecular mechanisms with measurable tumor-like behavior and can identify changes associated with more or less invasive activity.
Spheroids can be assessed after exposure to anticancer compounds, with subsequent cellular outgrowth compared using distance or area measurements. A change in outgrowth provides an invasion-related response within the three-dimensional model. This helps investigators determine whether a compound influences invasive behavior and supports evaluation of potential therapeutic strategies.
Starting with uniform spheroids establishes a consistent aggregate format for embedding in the extracellular matrix. More comparable starting structures make differences in subsequent outgrowth easier to associate with the tested matrix, compound, or genetic change. This consistency strengthens interpretation when researchers compare invasive phenotypes across experimental conditions.