Pancreatic Cancer

This video describes the technique of DCE-MRI for orthotropic pancreatic tumor xenografts in mice. DCE-MRI is a non-invasive method to analyze microvasculature in a target tissue, and useful to assess vascular response in a tumor following a novel therapy. This method will assist investigators to apply DCE-MRI for orthotopic gastrointestinal cancer mouse models.

This video describes the technique of imaging islet cells in real-time, to study the changes in cytosolic calcium concentration in the minor subpopulations of the pancreatic islet cells. Minor cell subpopulations can be identified using functional responses to marker compounds, such as adrenaline and ghrelin, that induce changes in cytosolic calcium in a specific populations of islet cells. This can provide an insight into the cross talk between the blood glucose and the islet secretory output.

This video describes the technique of immunofluorescent staining of spheroids to understand the differentiation of the fibroblasts or CAFs. This protocol helps detect expression of intra- and extracellular antigens, including deposition of ECM proteins within the spheroids.

This video demonstrates an orthotopic model of pancreatic cancer that utilizes Matrigel for localized cell delivery and in vivo bioluminescence imaging for non-invasive monitoring of tumor progression. The orthotopic model is suited to both syngeneic and xenograft models and could be used in pre-clinical trials to investigate the impact of novel anti-cancer therapeutics on the growth of the primary pancreatic tumor and metastasis.

This article describes the technique for ex vivo T cell stimulation to increase the intracellular concentration of cytokines such as interferon-gamma or IFN-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha or TNF-alpha in the T cell. These cytokines  mediate an effective anti-tumor response and can have a therapeutic role in the...

This protocol describes the technique for performing extracellular flux assay on 3D spheroids generated from the co-culture of pancreatic cancer cells (Patu8902) and activated pancreatic fibroblasts (PS1) to measure the two major energy-producing pathways, glycolysis and mitochondrial respiration.

This video describes the protocol for ultrasound-guided orthotopic implantation of murine-derived pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells directly into the pancreas of the mouse. This causes less inflammation at the implantation site compared to surgical procedures.

This video describes the protocol for grafting human pancreatic islets into the anterior chamber of the mouse’s eye to monitor revascularization of human islet grafts in vivo. It also helps to understand the contribution of recipient versus donor cells in promoting the encapsulation and vascularization of the graft.

The video explains a stepwise surgical method for orthotopic implantation of a tumor fragment from a cancerous donor to the pancreas of a non-cancerous recipient mice for development of pancreatic cancer. Orthotopically implanted PDAC could recapture the tissue microenvironment of human pancreatic cancers than conventional subcutaneous (SC) models more accurately.

This video describes the procedure for performing irreversible electroporation (IRE) for non-thermal ablation of pancreatic tumors in mice. Both subcutaneous (SQ) and orthotopic tumors can be successfully treated with IRE in a highly controlled setting, facilitating various studies post-procedure.

This video describes the protocol for intracardiac injection of retroviruses into the transgenic mouse to ensure gene transfer into proliferating pancreatic β premalignant lesions. This method can also help in assessing the functions of candidate genes in tumor metastasis.

This video demonstrates the protocol for implanting green fluorescent protein-expressing pancreatic cancer cells orthotopically into the pancreas of the mouse. The orthotopic mouse model helps in investigating the efficacy of novel therapeutics on primary and metastatic tumors.

This video demonstrates the protocol for developing pancreatic cancer stem cell spheroids in vitro. The assay can serve as a screening tool to identify compounds that potentially target cancer stem cells.

This video demonstrates in vitro neuroplasticity assay to study the morphological changes in dorsal root ganglia and myenteric plexus neurons exposed to healthy and cancerous human pancreatic tissue extracts. This assay allows us to study the neurite outgrowth, branching pattern and neuronal size.

This protocol describes a technique for monitoring extracellular matrix rigidity changes by using particle-tracking microrheology (PTM). This is done by culturing 3D pancreatic tumor spheroids into ECM with embedded fluorescent probes for video particle-tracking and analysis.

This video describes the electroporation protocol for transfecting large plasmids into three-dimensional gastrointestinal organoids to prove its universal functionality in different entities, namely pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), colorectal cancer (CRC), cholangiocarcinoma (CCC), and gastric cancer (GC) organoids.

This video explains the 3D magnetic bioprinting of co-cultured pancreatic cancer cells and fibroblasts. Pancreatic cancer cells and activated pancreatic fibroblast cells are co-cultured and magnetized using a biocompatible nanoparticle assembly, to generate spheroids, under the influence of magnetic forces.

This video describes the technique of differentiating pancreatic acinar cells to ductal cells in ex vivo 3D culture. This helps to understand the mechanisms regulating the acinar-to-ductal metaplasia (ADM), a key process in the early development of pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic islets, also called the Islets of Langerhans, are a cluster of endocrine cells which produces hormones for glucose regulation and other important biological functions. This protocol explains a method for isolating pancreatic islets by first perfusing collagenase via Ampulla of Vater to digest the exocrine pancreatic tissue and a simplified density gradient centrifugation to purify the islets from mice.

This video describes the technique used for isolating pancreatic acinar cells--exocrine cells--containing a variety of digestive enzymes. Primary acinar cells are useful in the ex vivo study of acinar-to-ductal metaplasia (ADM)--an early event in developing pancreatic cancer.

This article describes the technique for isolating pancreatic cancer stem cells (CSCs) from human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tissue. These CSCs are used to study the functional effects of drug treatment on the in vitro self-renewal capacity of CSCs for developing more efficient cancer treatments.