Oral: Cancer Cell Metastasis in Micropatterned Fibrinogen Tumor Models

During metastasis, cancer cells utilize the surrounding Extracellular Matrix (ECM) to grow, move, and communicate. Tumors actively remodel surrounding ECM to promote migration and collaboration. To further understand these effects, we developed a model for ductal carcinoma. We seeded MDA-MB-231 mesenchymal cancer cells in the centers of 2-dimensional micropatterned fibrinogen-coated coverslips with circular maze structure, and MDA-MB-468 epithelial cancer cells were seeded at the border. The maze connectivity and cell density were both varied as a model for local cancer environments within ECM. We revealed that after MDA-MB-468 cells are bonded in a concentric ring, mazes with lower path connectivity decreased rates of MDA-MB-231 cell exploration. Denser MDA-MB-231 cell clusters also began metastasis earlier. This research has significant implications for understanding the onset of metastasis as well as the dynamics of cancer cell migration in tumor environments.