Meningioma models

Abstract

Intracranial xenograft meningioma models are considered best because of their biological relevance in tumor location. Traditionally, difficulty in obtaining serial measurements and high costs hindered intracranial tumor research; however, with the development of bioluminescence imaging systems, serial measurements of intracranial xenografted immortal meningioma cell lines can now be completed in a noninvasive, cost-effective, and efficient manner. This method involves transfecting immortal meningioma cells with the firefly luciferase gene, which then expresses the luciferase enzyme. This enzyme oxidizes luciferin in a reaction that releases photon energy that can be easily measured and recorded, even after the transfected tumor cells have been implanted intracranially in a mouse model. The transfected cells replicate key macroscopic, microscopic, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructure features of aggressive meningiomas. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York.