中国物理B ›› 2016, Vol. 25 ›› Issue (1): 18709-018709.doi: 10.1088/1674-1056/25/1/018709

所属专题: TOPICAL REVIEW — 8th IUPAP International Conference on Biological Physics

• TOPICAL REVIEW—8th IUPAP International Conference on Biological Physics • 上一篇    下一篇

In vitro three-dimensional cancer metastasis modeling: Past, present, and future

Wei-jing Han(韩伟静), Wei Yuan(袁伟), Jiang-rui Zhu(朱江瑞), Qihui Fan(樊琪慧), Junle Qu(屈军乐), Li-yu Liu(刘雳宇), on behalf of the U.S.--China Physical Sciences-Oncology Alliance   

  1. 1. Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China;
    2. Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
  • 收稿日期:2015-07-02 修回日期:2015-08-05 出版日期:2016-01-05 发布日期:2016-01-05
  • 通讯作者: Wei-jing Han, Wei Yuan, Li-yu Liu E-mail:liu@iphy.ac.cn
  • 基金资助:
    Project supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2013CB837200), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 11474345), and the Beijing Natural Science Foundation, China (Grant No. 7154221).

In vitro three-dimensional cancer metastasis modeling: Past, present, and future

Wei-jing Han(韩伟静)1, Wei Yuan(袁伟)2, Jiang-rui Zhu(朱江瑞)1, Qihui Fan(樊琪慧)1, Junle Qu(屈军乐)2, Li-yu Liu(刘雳宇)1, on behalf of the U.S.--China Physical Sciences-Oncology Alliance   

  1. 1. Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China;
    2. Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
  • Received:2015-07-02 Revised:2015-08-05 Online:2016-01-05 Published:2016-01-05
  • Contact: Wei-jing Han, Wei Yuan, Li-yu Liu E-mail:liu@iphy.ac.cn
  • Supported by:
    Project supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2013CB837200), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 11474345), and the Beijing Natural Science Foundation, China (Grant No. 7154221).

摘要: Metastasis is the leading cause of most cancer deaths, as opposed to dysregulated cell growth of the primary tumor. Molecular mechanisms of metastasis have been studied for decades and the findings have evolved our understanding of the progression of malignancy. However, most of the molecular mechanisms fail to address the causes of cancer and its evolutionary origin, demonstrating an inability to find a solution for complete cure of cancer. After being a neglected area of tumor biology for quite some time, recently several studies have focused on the impact of the tumor microenvironment on cancer growth. The importance of the tumor microenvironment is gradually gaining attention, particularly from the perspective of biophysics. In vitro three-dimensional (3-D) metastatic models are an indispensable platform for investigating the tumor microenvironment, as they mimic the in vivo tumor tissue. In 3-D metastatic in vitro models, static factors such as the mechanical properties, biochemical factors, as well as dynamic factors such as cell-cell, cell-ECM interactions, and fluid shear stress can be studied quantitatively. With increasing focus on basic cancer research and drug development, the in vitro 3-D models offer unique advantages in fundamental and clinical biomedical studies.

关键词: cancer metastasis, microfluidic chip, three-dimensional in vitro model, chemotaxis

Abstract: Metastasis is the leading cause of most cancer deaths, as opposed to dysregulated cell growth of the primary tumor. Molecular mechanisms of metastasis have been studied for decades and the findings have evolved our understanding of the progression of malignancy. However, most of the molecular mechanisms fail to address the causes of cancer and its evolutionary origin, demonstrating an inability to find a solution for complete cure of cancer. After being a neglected area of tumor biology for quite some time, recently several studies have focused on the impact of the tumor microenvironment on cancer growth. The importance of the tumor microenvironment is gradually gaining attention, particularly from the perspective of biophysics. In vitro three-dimensional (3-D) metastatic models are an indispensable platform for investigating the tumor microenvironment, as they mimic the in vivo tumor tissue. In 3-D metastatic in vitro models, static factors such as the mechanical properties, biochemical factors, as well as dynamic factors such as cell-cell, cell-ECM interactions, and fluid shear stress can be studied quantitatively. With increasing focus on basic cancer research and drug development, the in vitro 3-D models offer unique advantages in fundamental and clinical biomedical studies.

Key words: cancer metastasis, microfluidic chip, three-dimensional in vitro model, chemotaxis

中图分类号:  (Cancer)

  • 87.19.xj
87.17.Uv (Biotechnology of cell processes) 87.85.dh (Cells on a chip) 87.17.Jj (Cell locomotion, chemotaxis)