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Updated: May 13, 2026
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Moving Upwards: A Simple and Flexible In Vitro Three-dimensional Invasion Assay Protocol
Published on: March 12, 2018
Two-dimensional vs. three-dimensional in vitro tumor migration and invasion assays
Miriam Zimmermann1, Carol Box, Suzanne A Eccles
1Tumour Biology and Metastasis, Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, Division of Cancer Therapeutics, McElwain Laboratories, The Institute of Cancer Research, Surrey, UK.
Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|February 26, 2013
Summary
Understanding tumor cell motility and invasion is crucial for developing new cancer therapies. This chapter reviews assays that measure these processes, aiding in the selection of effective agents against metastasis and angiogenesis.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Cell Biology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Tumor cell motility and invasion are critical for metastasis and angiogenesis, distinguishing malignant from benign tumors.
- These cellular processes offer potential molecular targets for therapeutic intervention to inhibit cancer spread and new blood vessel formation.
- Developing effective therapies necessitates assays that accurately quantify cell migration and invasion, mimicking the in vivo tumor microenvironment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an overview of commonly used migration and invasion assays.
- To guide the selection of appropriate techniques for evaluating novel therapeutic agents.
- To balance high-throughput needs with the complexity of the tumor microenvironment.
Main Methods:
- Review of established cell migration assays.
- Review of established cell invasion assays.
- Discussion on assay design considerations for in vivo relevance.
Main Results:
- Identification of key assays for measuring cell motility and invasion.
- Highlighting the importance of assay selection for therapeutic development.
- Emphasizing the need to balance throughput with biological complexity.
Conclusions:
- Migration and invasion assays are vital tools in cancer research.
- Careful selection of assays is essential for the development of anti-metastasis and anti-angiogenesis therapies.
- Future therapeutic strategies can leverage insights from these assays to target tumor progression.
