Tumor cell migration in three dimensions

Methods Enzymol. 2006:406:625-43. doi: 10.1016/S0076-6879(06)06049-6.

Abstract

In almost all physiological and pathological situations, cells migrate through three-dimensional environments, yet most studies of cell motility have used two-dimensional substrates. It is clear that two-dimensional substrates do not mimic the in vivo environment accurately, and recent work using three-dimensional environments has revealed many different mechanisms of cell migration (Abbott, 2003; Sahai and Marshall, 2003; Wolf et al., 2003). This chapter will describe methods for generating three-dimensional matrices suitable for studying cell motility, methods for imaging the morphology of motile cells in situ, and methods for quantifying cell migration through three-dimensional environments.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amides / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell
  • Cell Culture Techniques
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement / drug effects
  • Cell Movement / physiology*
  • Collagen / metabolism
  • Collagen / ultrastructure
  • Collagen Type I / ultrastructure
  • Drug Combinations
  • Extracellular Matrix / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Laminin / metabolism
  • Laminin / ultrastructure
  • Melanoma
  • Microscopy, Confocal / methods
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Proteoglycans / metabolism
  • Proteoglycans / ultrastructure
  • Pyridines / pharmacology
  • rho-Associated Kinases

Substances

  • Amides
  • Collagen Type I
  • Drug Combinations
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Laminin
  • Proteoglycans
  • Pyridines
  • matrigel
  • Y 27632
  • Collagen
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • rho-Associated Kinases