Skip to Content
Merck
  • Cell swelling, softening and invasion in a three-dimensional breast cancer model.

Cell swelling, softening and invasion in a three-dimensional breast cancer model.

Nature physics (2020-09-10)
Yu Long Han, Adrian F Pegoraro, Hui Li, Kaifu Li, Yuan Yuan, Guoqiang Xu, Zichen Gu, Jiawei Sun, Yukun Hao, Satish Kumar Gupta, Yiwei Li, Wenhui Tang, Xiao Tang, Lianghong Teng, Jeffrey J Fredberg, Ming Guo
ABSTRACT

Sculpting of structure and function of three-dimensional multicellular tissues depend critically on the spatial and temporal coordination of cellular physical properties, yet the organizational principles that govern these events, and their disruption in disease, remain poorly understood. Using a multicellular mammary cancer organoid model, here we map in three dimensions the spatial and temporal evolution of positions, motions, and physical characteristics of individual cells. Compared with cells in the organoid core, cells at the organoid periphery and the invasive front are found to be systematically softer, larger and more dynamic. These mechanical changes are shown to arise from supracellular fluid flow through gap junctions, suppression of which delays transition to an invasive phenotype. Together, these findings highlight the role of spatiotemporal coordination of cellular physical properties in tissue organization and disease progression.

MATERIALS
Product Number
Brand
Product Description

Sigma-Aldrich
Latex beads, amine-modified polystyrene, fluorescent orange, aqueous suspension, 1.0 μm mean particle size
Sigma-Aldrich
Carbenoxolone disodium salt, ≥98%
Sigma-Aldrich
Latex beads, carboxylate-modified polystyrene, fluorescent orange, aqueous suspension, 0.5 μm mean particle size
Sigma-Aldrich
LY-294,002 hydrochloride, solid, ≥98% (HPLC)
Sigma-Aldrich
Daunorubicin hydrochloride, meets USP testing specifications
Sigma-Aldrich
bisBenzimide H 33342 trihydrochloride, for fluorescence, ≥97.0% (HPLC)