Modelling breast cancer in a three-dimensional heterotypic culture system

Excerpt

Microenvironmental factors are fundamental in the regulation of normal and tumour breast tissue. Two cell types have been implicated in having opposing effects on breast tumour cell behaviour: myoepithelial cells exhibit broad tumour-suppressor activity, whilst fibroblasts frequently promote tumour growth and invasion. Previous work has described the development of a physiologically relevant three-dimensional heterotypic culture system containing tumour, myoepithelial and fibroblast cells. The data showed organisation of the cells into co-unit structures recapitulating ductal carcinoma in situ breast, with homing of myoepithelial cells around luminal cells, and highlighted a central role for tumour-associated fibroblasts in disrupting ductal carcinoma in situ structures. This study describes further manipulation of the model to include tumour cells that represent the heterogeneity of breast cancer. …