Engineering confining microenvironment for studying cancer metastasis
Kuan Jiang, Lanfeng Liang, Chwee Teck Lim
Abstract
assays have been developed to recapitulate the metastatic processes and study cancer cell migration in a confining microenvironment. In this review, we summarize some of the representative techniques and the exciting new findings. We critically review the advantages, as well as challenges associated with these tools and methodologies, and provide a guide on the applications that they are most suited for. We hope future efforts that push forward our current understanding on metastasis under confinement can lead to novel and more effective diagnostic and therapeutic strategies against this dreaded disease.
Topics & Concepts
MetastasisTumor microenvironmentContext (archaeology)Cancer cellCancer metastasisNeuroscienceExtracellular matrixCancerComputer scienceBiologyNanotechnologyCancer researchTumor cellsCell biologyMaterials scienceGeneticsPaleontologyCellular Mechanics and Interactions3D Printing in Biomedical ResearchCancer Cells and Metastasis