title: Imaging Cancer Angiogenesis and Metastasis in a Zebrafish Embryo Model.
abstract: Tumor angiogenesis and metastasis are key steps of cancer progression. In vitro and animal model studies have contributed to partially elucidating the mechanisms involved in these processes and in developing therapies. Besides the improvements in fundamental research and the optimization of therapeutic regimes, cancer still remains a major health threatening condition and therefore the development of new models is needed. The zebrafish is a powerful tool to study tumor angiogenesis and metastasis, because it allows the visualization of fluorescently labelled tumor cells inducing vessel remodeling, disseminating and invading surrounding tissues in a whole transparent embryo. The embryo model has also been used to address the contribution of the tumor stroma in sustaining tumor angiogenesis and spreading. Simultaneously, new anti-angiogenic drugs and compounds affecting malignant cell survival and migration can be tested by simply adding the compound into the water of living embryos. Therefore the zebrafish model offers the opportunity to gain more knowledge on cancer angiogenesis and metastasis in vivo with the final aim of providing new translational insights into therapeutic approaches to help patients.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tulotta
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: van der Ent
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Groenewoud
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Spaink
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands. b.e.snaar-jagalska@biology.leidenuniv.nl.
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Snaar-Jagalska
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D064593:Heterografts; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000196:embryology*
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes
keywords: Angiogenesis; Extravasation; In vivo imaging; Metastasis; Tumor inflammation