Conversation before crossing: dissecting metastatic tumor-vascular interactions in microphysiological systems

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Cell Biology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Tumor metastasis involves tumor cells crossing the vascular barrier during intravasation and extravasation.
• Chemomechanical signaling between tumor and endothelial cells is crucial for breaching the vessel wall.
• Traditional experimental systems have limitations in studying these complex tumor-endothelial interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how microphysiological systems advance the understanding of tumor cell metastasis.
• To highlight recent insights into tumor-endothelial interactions during intravasation and extravasation using microphysiological systems.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing advanced microphysiological systems (MPS) to create miniaturized human tissues.
• Engineering tailored 3D architectures with controlled physiological cell interfaces and microenvironments.
• Applying MPS to study cellular and molecular mechanisms at the tumor-endothelial interface.

Main Results:

• MPS provide unprecedented resolution and biological control over complex morphogenic processes.
• Recent studies using MPS have revealed new mechanistic insights into tumor cell intravasation.
• MPS have shed light on the molecular control systems governing extravasation.

Conclusions:

• Microphysiological systems are revolutionizing the study of tumor metastasis.
• MPS enable detailed investigation of the tumor-endothelial interface during cancer progression.
• These advanced systems offer significant potential for uncovering novel therapeutic targets.