In Vivo Glioblastoma Tumor Modeling via Stereotaxic Injection in Mice for Tumor Progression Studies
Juan Francisco Silva-Agüero1, Ignacio Tapia-Dufey1, Luis González-Rojas1
1Center for Geroscience, Brain Health and Metabolism (GERO); Biomedical Neuroscience Institute (BNI), Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile; Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBM), University of Chile.
Journal of Visualized Experiments : Jove
|July 21, 2025
Summary
This study details a stereotactic injection protocol for creating glioblastoma (GB) mouse models. This reliable method aids in studying tumor growth and progression in vivo.
Area of Science:
- Neuro-oncology
- Cancer Biology
- Animal Models
Background:
- Glioblastoma (GB) is an aggressive brain cancer with poor prognosis.
- Murine models are crucial for studying GB tumor microenvironment and pathology.
- Existing models require refinement for accurate tumor implantation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a detailed protocol for establishing glioblastoma tumor models in mice using stereotactic injections.
- To enable precise and rapid delivery of glioblastoma cells into the mouse brain.
- To offer a reproducible method for glioblastoma research.
Main Methods:
- Stereotactic surgery for precise intracranial injection of GL261 glioblastoma cells into the striatum of C57BL/6 mice.
- Utilizing 2D cultures or spheroids for cell delivery without image guidance.
- Post-operative assessment including behavioral and physiological evaluation.
- Histological analysis (H&E staining, immunohistochemistry) at day 21 for tumor quantification and proliferation marker imaging.
Main Results:
- Successful establishment of glioblastoma tumor models in immunocompetent mice.
- Demonstrated ability to measure tumor area, volume, and proliferation markers.
- Protocol allows for assessment of tumor growth and progression.
Conclusions:
- The described stereotactic injection protocol offers a reliable and reproducible method for generating in vivo glioblastoma models.
- This technique is adaptable for various glioblastoma cell lines, mouse models, and patient-derived xenografts.
- The protocol facilitates further research into glioblastoma growth and progression, potentially improving therapeutic strategies.
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