Murine and Human Mammary Cancer Cell Lines: Functional Tests

Abstract

The biological characterization of mammary cancer cells is a prerequisite that helps the scientist understand some aspect of tumor biology. Once isolated from the tumor, cells are subjected to multiple tests that dissect their ability to growth, migrate, degrade the surrounding stroma, produce 3-dimensional structures and differentiate. Targeted inhibitors, when added to these tests, are used to unravel how specific growth factors, receptors, and intracellular translational pathways promote the ability of mammary tumor cells to achieve their biological behavior. Herein we describe a set of techniques used to put in focus the biological capacities in mammary cancer cells. When the characterization of a biological trait (e.g., proliferation) is assessable by multiple assays, we will limit the description to only one technique, possibly the easier to manage and that requires minimal laboratory equipment.