title: High-resistance MDCK-C7 monolayers used for measuring invasive potency of tumour cells.
abstract: We describe an electrophysiological method for evaluating the intrinsic invasive potency of tumour cells using renal cells as an in vitro assay system. A high-resistance clone of Madin-Darby canine kidney cells (MDCK-C7) was grown to confluency in a filter cup. Transepithelial electrical resistance across the MDCK-C7 monolayer was measured in a commercially available electrode chamber. After a transepithelial electrical resistance of about 4,000 omega cm2 had been reached, human melanoma or pancreatic carcinoma cells were co-cultivated with the MDCK-C7 monolayer. Both carcinoma cell lines induced resistance breakdown measured after 24 h or later depending on seeding density and cell type. Seeding carcinoma cells on the basolateral surface of MDCK-C7 cells caused a similar decrease in transepithelial resistance of the MDCK-C7 monolayer. Resistance breakdown indicates opening of tight junctions prior to tumour cell invasion. In conclusion, the high-resistance MDCK-C7 cell clone could serve as a valuable biological assay system to determine electrically the metastatic potency of tumour cells in vitro.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zak
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Eue
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ludwig
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oberleithner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology*; D002452:Cell Count; D002460:Cell Line; D002999:Clone Cells; D018920:Coculture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D015194:Diffusion Chambers, Culture / Q000295:instrumentation; D004285:Dogs; D017097:Electric Impedance; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008546:Melanoma, Experimental / Q000473:pathology*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D019108:Tight Junctions / Q000378:metabolism