Cancer cells become fluidized and squeeze through tissue
2021
Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
Patient samples of mammary and cervix carcinoma contain areas where cells can move or are immobile. Using 3D cell spheroids composed of cells from cancerous and noncancerous cell lines and single live-cell tracking, the authors show that the cancerous sample is fluidized by active cells moving through the tissue. 3D segmentation of the samples show that the degree of tissue fluidity correlates with elongated cell and nucleus shapes. This correlation links cell shapes to cell motility and bulk mechanical behaviour. The authors find two active states of matter in solid tumours: an amorphous glass-like state with characteristics of 3D cell jamming and a disordered fluid state. Individual cell and nucleus shape may serve as a marker for the metastatic potential to foster personalized cancer treatment.
Cell and nucleus shape as an indicator of tissue fluidity in carcinoma
Josef A. Käs
Added on: 05-11-2021
[1] https://journals.aps.org/prx/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevX.11.011033#fulltext[2] https://www.bionity.com/en/news/1169946/cancer-cells-become-fluidised-and-squeeze-through-tissue.html
