Why study solid tumor invasion?
Cell invasion is considered to be a hallmark of malignant cancers and plays a key role in metastasis. The invasive and metastatic potential of cancer cells is highly responsible for cancer patient mortality.
The ability of tumor cells to form a metastatic tumor is primarily determined by the cell’s ability to change and reorganize its cellular morphology and to degrade the extracellular matrix (ECM). Understanding the mechanisms concerned in tumor cell invasion may lead to limiting tumor progression and, as a result, to a reduction in mortality for many cancer patients.
Introducing the IncuCyte® Single Spheroid Invasion Assay
With the Incucyte® Single Spheroid Invasion Assay, you can now accurately study invasive potential of tumor spheroids overtime – inside your incubator.
Gain deeper insight into the invasion, progression and response to treatments of tumor spheroids using our lab-tested protocol and integrated, label-free analysis and answer questions faster.
Key Advantages
Key Advantages of the Incucyte® Single Spheroid Invasion Assay
The Incucyte® Live-Cell Analysis System and Incucyte® Spheroid Analysis Software Module provide a robust solution for analyzing single spheroid invasion while your spheroids are growing undisturbed inside your tissue culture incubator for days or weeks.
- Derive more physiologically relevant information - Quantify label-free invasion and investigate inhibitors of metastasis – inside your incubator
- Explore invasive changes over time - Investigate the metastatic potential of solid tumors in real-time to reveal differences in growth characteristics
- Generate reproducible, quantitative data - Lab-tested 96-well protocol to create uniform spheroids suitable for highly reproducible invasion assays
- Unlock your productivity - Automatically acquire, analyze and graph images from up to six 96-well plates in parallel and get to answers faster
Derive More Physiologically Relevant Information
Visualize and quantify spheroid phenotypic changes over time with label-free, real time measurements of spheroid invasion for analysis of inhibitors of metastasis.
Figure 1. Kinetically monitor and quantify single spheroid invasive properties. U87-MG spheroids embedded in Matrigel (4.5 mg/mL) in the presence and absence of MMP inhibitor Cytochalasin D (300 nM, Cyto D), imaged over 10 days. Note the extensive invasive phenotype of vehicle treated spheroids in comparison to Cyto D treated spheroids.
Explore Invasive Changes Over Time
Investigate cell-type specific differences in metastatic potential of tumor cells by assessing spheroid growth characteristics (e.g. morphology and invasive potential).
Figure 2. Assess cell-type-specific invasive capabilities. U87-MG, A172 and HT-1080 spheroids were formed for 3 days prior to Matrigel (4.5 mg/mL) addition. DF-BF images and time-course profiles of brightfield area (whole spheroid or invading cells area) show the differential invasive phenotype and capacity respectively, across the cell types. Images taken 7 days post Matrigel addition.
Figure 3. Assess the effect of Matrigel concentration on tumor spheroid invasion capacity. Brightfield images show HT-1080 spheroids embedded in varying concentrations of Matrigel (1.13 - 4.5 mg/mL), 7 days post formation. Invasive capacity is observed to be Matrigel concentration-dependent with reduced invasive properties in spheroids embedded in high Matrigel concentrations (4.5 mg/mL).
Generate Reproducible, Quantitative Data
Produce uniform spheroids suitable for reproducible invasion assays using a lab-tested protocol in combination with fully integrated imaging and analysis for pharmacological analysis.
Figure 4. Reproducible, lab-tested single spheroid invasion protocol. Easily generate spheroids of uniform size and perform invasion assays without the need to move to a secondary plate.
Unlock Your Productivity
Automatically acquire, analyze and graph thousands of images from up to six 96-well plates in parallel and get to answers faster.
Figure 5. Guided interface is easy to use for even first-time users. Automated image acquisition and analysis tools provide a ‘set up and walk away’ experience. View images remotely to monitor experimental progress and analyze in real time for rapid decision-making.
Ordering Information
Ordering Information
Product | Qty. | Cat. No. |
|---|---|---|
| Incucyte® Spheroid Analysis Software Module | 1 Module |
