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Cell Invasion Assay

June 2, 2003
Follow the extravasion of endothelial cell layers by metastatic cells

The ECIS (electric cell-substrate impedance sensing) method to automatically monitor cultured cell behavior has now been demonstrated to follow extravasion of endothelial cell layers by metastatic cells. In this new ECIS assay, endothelial cells are first grown to confluence in wells on the consumable ECIS electrode array slides. On the base of each well are gold film electrodes that serve as substrates for cell attachment and growth. The impedance of these electrodes is followed to monitor the establishment of the endothelial cell layers before the assay is run. Once a tight layer is established, it is challenged with suspensions of cancer cells with varying in vivo metastatic abilities. As the metastatic cells invade the endothelial monolayer, they break down the layer’s barrier function resulting in large drops in impedance. These impedance changes are automatically followed over time and used to quantify the in vitro invasive activities of the cells.

[see Keese, et al, BioTechniques 33:842-850 (October 2002)]

Applied BioPhysics was founded by two researchers from General Electric Research and Development Center, Charles Keese, PhD in biology, and Ivar Giaever, PhD in physics. In 1973, Dr. Giaever received the Nobel Prize in Physics.

Applied BioPhysics develops and manufactures instrumentation for non-invasive measurement of cells. Applied BioPhysics products are sold worldwide.