Interactions between normal mammary epithelial cells and mammary tumour cells in a model system.
Normal mammary epithelial (NME) cells and MCF-7 cells aggregate and grow as spheroids when cultured on extracellular matrix derived from Engelbreth/ Holmes/Swarth (EHS) tumour. NME cells stop dividing and differentiate but MCF-7 cells continue to proliferate, although growth is counterbalanced by cell death. In mixed cultures of NME cells and MCF-7 cells, the two cell types form mixed aggregates but then segregate to form well separated domains, often joined by only a narrow neck of cells. In these mixed cultures the growth of MCF-7 cells is inhibited by a factor secreted by NME cells into the medium.
Quarrie
L H
LH
CRC Beatson Laboratories, Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, Garscube Estate, Bearsden, Glasgow, UK.
Pitts
J D
JD
Finbow
M E
ME
D001940:Breast / Q000166:cytology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D002455:Cell Division; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned