This orthotopic model of human prostate cancer allows for quantification of tumor size, circulating tumor cells, and formation of distinct metastasis to the lung. As cells must escape the primary organ, enter the blood stream, and implant into a secondary site, this model effectively recapitulates the scenario in humans.
Total time
~4–6 weeks (implantation to endpoint); ~1–2 hours per necropsy procedure
Model organism
Mouse (immunocompromised strain, orthotopic prostate cancer model)
Steps
1
Perform orthotopic implantation of prostate cancer cells
Surgically implant human prostate cancer cells directly into the mouse prostate gland. This orthotopic approach allows primary tumor establishment and spontaneous metastasis to distant sites.
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2
Conduct necropsy and tissue collection
Euthanize mice and perform systematic necropsy to harvest primary tumors, lungs, and other tissues for metastatic analysis. Preserve samples for histological examination.
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3
Identify and quantify pulmonary metastases
Process lung tissue sections histologically and enumerate metastatic lesions to assess metastatic burden. Measure primary tumor size and circulating tumor cell populations to correlate with metastatic outcome.
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