Development of Angiogenesis and Cancer cell Invasion assays in Microfluidic Flow Cells for Use with Real-Time Microscopy

Understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms of cancer progression from primary malignancy to metastatic disease is critical to development of successful treatments. Cell invasion from the primary tumor and tumor-induced angiogenesis are just two of many phenomena contributing to the pathology of metastatic disease. Both biological processes involve migration and transmigration of cells in response to chemoattractants. In vitro analysis of these phenomena typically involves deposition of a basement membrane derived matrix (Matrigel) in a transwell plate insert. This allows quantitation of either invasion or angiogenesis, but the inserts can be cumbersome to process. In this poster read how a microfluidic based method can be an alternative to study angiogenesis or cell invasion in real time.