3D Cell Invasion Assay

AMSBIO has announced the launch of the Oris™ 3D Embedded Invasion Assay – a unique product offering quantifiable real-time analysis of cell invasion.

This new cell invasion assay is designed to enable cell movement through an extracellular matrix (ECM) in 3-Dimensions, thereby getting users as close as possible to an in vivo experiment using in vitro conditions.

The invasion capacity of tumor cells is of particular concern in cancer research, and is a first step to metastasis, the deadliest aspect of the disease. Traditionally, cell invasion assays are performed by seeding cells in a chamber and assessing invasion by counting cells that penetrate through a flat, two dimensional ECM, typically a coated porous membrane, towards a lower chamber.

However, these membranes are unlike any in vivo structure, potentially compromising the physiological relevance of the assay. Moreover, traditional invasion assays are not amendable to real-time monitoring, as cells can only be viewed microscopically post-invasion through the membrane, precluding real-time analysis of changes in invasion rate and cell morphology.

Based upon patented “exclusion zone” technology which uses cells embedded in a collagen matrix - Oris™ 3D Embedded Invasion Assays from AMSBIO provide a simple, quantitative, and efficient way to monitor cell invasion and morphology changes in a more physiologically relevant microenvironment.

With no artificial membranes obscuring visualization of the cells, cell invasion rates and morphology changes can be reproducibly and quantifiably measured as end-point assays or in real-time.

Designed in an industry-standard 96-well plate format, the assay can be used with microscopes, plate readers and high content imaging system thereby delivering significant reductions in handling time for set up and analysis.