In Vitro Tumorigenic Assay: The Tumor Spheres Assay.

Abstract

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a subpopulation of cells within cancer tissues that are thought to mediate tumor initiation. CSCs are furthermore considered the cause of tumor progression and recurrence after conventional therapies, based on their enhanced therapy resistance properties. A method commonly used to assess CSC potential in vitro is the so-called tumor spheres assay in which cells are plated under non-adherent culture conditions in serum-free medium supplemented with growth factors. Tumor spheres assays have been used in cancer research as an intermediate in vitro cell culture model to be explored before performing more laborious in vivo tumor xenograft assays.

• Authors: Hui Wang, Anna M Paczulla, Martina Konantz, Claudia Lengerke
• Journal: Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.) (Methods Mol Biol) Vol. 1692 Pg. 77-87 ( 2018) ISSN: 1940-6029 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 28986888 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins

Topics

• Animals
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Heterografts
• Humans
• Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins (metabolism)
• Neoplastic Stem Cells (metabolism)
• Spheroids, Cellular (cytology, metabolism)