title: Directional Migration of MDA-MB-231 Cells Under Oxygen Concentration Gradients.
abstract: To elucidate the initial mechanism of hematogenous metastasis of cancer cells, we hypothesized that cancer cells migrate toward regions with higher oxygen concentration such as intratumor micro vessels along the oxygen concentration gradient. To produce gradients of oxygen concentration in vitro, we devised the gap cover glass (GCG). After placing a GCG onto cultured MDA-MB-231 cells (a metastatic breast cancer cell line), the migration of individual cells under the GCG was tracked up to 12 h at 3 % oxygen in the micro incubator. We quantified the migration of individual cells using forward migration index (FMI). The cell migration perpendicular to the oxygen gradients was random in the direction whereas FMIs of the cell located at 300, 500, 700, and 1500 μm from the oxygen inlet were positive (p < 0.05) indicating a unidirectional migration toward the oxygen inlet. Present results are consistent with our hypothesis that MDA-MB-231 cells migrate toward regions with higher oxygen concentration.
authors.affiliation: Advanced Technology Fusion, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saga University, Saga, Japan.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yahara
authors.affiliation: Advanced Technology Fusion, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saga University, Saga, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.affiliation: Advanced Technology Fusion, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saga University, Saga, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Enokida
authors.affiliation: Advanced Technology Fusion, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saga University, Saga, Japan. eiji@cc.saga-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Takahashi
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement; D058948:Cell Tracking / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*; D000072258:Tumor Hypoxia; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen
keywords: Cancer cell; Metastasis; Migration; Oxygen gradient