Cells shed from tumours show reduced clonogenicity, resistance to apoptosis, and in vivo tumorigenicity
1999
Study on Tumor Cell Shedding
publication
Author Information
Author(s): Swartz M A, Kristensen C A, Melder R J, Roberge S, Calautti E, Fukumura D, Jain R K
Primary Institution: Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School
Hypothesis
How do the growth characteristics of shed tumor cells compare to native tumor cells?
Conclusion
Shed cells from tumors are less capable of forming new tumors and are more likely to undergo cell death compared to native tumor cells.
Supporting Evidence
- Shed cells were found to be less clonogenic than native tumor cells.
- Shed cells exhibited a higher rate of apoptosis compared to cells from the tumor.
- Shed cells showed reduced tumorigenicity in vivo compared to native tumor cells.
Takeaway
When cancer cells break off from a tumor, they are not as strong and are more likely to die than the cells that stay in the tumor.
Methodology
The study involved growing human colon adenocarcinoma cells in mice, collecting shed cells, and comparing their characteristics to native tumor cells.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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