title: Invasion assays.
abstract: Basement membrane is a thin extracellular matrix that underlies epithelia and endothelia and separates them from the stroma. Tumor cells must cross this membrane to invade stroma and establish distant metastases. They do this by producing proteases that degrade the matrix. Of several in vitro models, those using Matrigel are the most reliable, reproducible, and representative of in vivo invasion. In the assay presented here, tumor cells are placed in the upper chamber of Boyden migration chamber. The upper and lower chambers are separated by a porous membrane coated with Matrigel. A chemoattractant in the lower well stimulates migration. After an interval, tumor cells are recovered from or counted on the lower surface of the membrane.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Dental Research/NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Kleinman
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jacob
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D054443:Cell Migration Assays / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002630:Chemotactic Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015194:Diffusion Chambers, Culture / Q000592:standards; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006801:Humans; D007797:Laminin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D002630:Chemotactic Factors; D004338:Drug Combinations; D007797:Laminin; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011509:Proteoglycans; C059485:matrigel; D003094:Collagen