Open AccessA new in vitro assay for cell motility and proliferation
Author(s) -
Benestad H. B.,
Saxholm H. J. K.,
Siebke E. M.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
cell proliferation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.647
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1365-2184
pISSN - 0960-7722
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2184.1987.tb01087.x
Subject(s) - clonogenic assay , flow cytometry , propidium iodide , membrane , in vitro , cell growth , cell culture , microbiology and biotechnology , cell , cell counting , biology , cytometry , chemistry , hemocytometer , biophysics , cell cycle , apoptosis , biochemistry , genetics , programmed cell death
. We have described and characterized a new micropore membrane assay for migration and proliferation of cells of various tumourigenic potential. The assay was developed to facilitate analysis of some aspects of cancer invasion and metastasis. Tumorigenic and non‐tumorigenic C3H/10 T1/2 cells grow in and migrate out of a culture chamber during a 1–11 day period, the shorter periods are used for chambers with 6 μ m thick polycarbonate membranes, the longer ones for 140 μ m thick cellulose nitrate membranes. Cell growth within the chambers, in their micropore membranes and on the outside of the membranes, was assessed with microscopy, electronic cell counting, flow cytometry of propidium iodide (PI) stained cells, and 3 H‐thymidine ([ 3 H]TdR) incorporation. A complete retrieval of intact cells that have traversed the membraneous chamber wall is possible, and these cells can be recultured or used in other studies. The tumorigenic cells had a steeper growth curve in vitro than the non transformed cells, but the relative sizes of the emigrated subpopulations were not significantly different. The subpopulation of tumorigenic cells that emigrated spontaneously from the chambers was less able than the subpopulation retained to populate secondary chamber cultures, suggesting that the clonogenic (stem) tumour cells are ‘slow movers’.