title: Matrigel: from discovery and ECM mimicry to assays and models for cancer research.
abstract: The basement membrane is an important extracellular matrix that is found in all epithelial and endothelial tissues. It maintains tissue integrity, serves as a barrier to cells and to molecules, separates different tissue types, transduces mechanical signals, and has many biological functions that help to maintain tissue specificity. A well-defined soluble basement membrane extract, termed BME/Matrigel, prepared from an epithelial tumor is similar in content to authentic basement membrane, and forms a hydrogel at 24-37°C. It is used in vitro as a substrate for 3D cell culture, in suspension for spheroid culture, and for various assays, such as angiogenesis, invasion, and dormancy. In vivo, BME/Matrigel is used for angiogenesis assays and to promote xenograft and patient-derived biopsy take and growth. Studies have shown that both the stiffness of the BME/Matrigel and its components (i.e. chemical signals) are responsible for its activity with so many different cell types. BME/Matrigel has widespread use in assays and in models that improve our understanding of tumor biology and help define therapeutic approaches.
authors.affiliation: Trevigen Inc., Gaithersburg, MD 20877, USA.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Benton
authors.affiliation: Trevigen Inc., Gaithersburg, MD 20877, USA.
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Arnaoutova
authors.affiliation: Trevigen Inc., Gaithersburg, MD 20877, USA.
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: George
authors.affiliation: The George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC 20037, USA. Electronic address: hyndakk@aol.com.
authors.forename: Hynda K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Kleinman
authors.affiliation: Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23220, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Koblinski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D003094:Collagen / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007797:Laminin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D007797:Laminin; D011509:Proteoglycans; C059485:matrigel; D003094:Collagen
keywords: 3D culture; Angiogenesis; Basement membrane; Dormancy assay; Extracellular matrix; Invasion assay; Spheroids; Xenograft