In vitro cell migration and invasion assays
Abstract
Determining the migratory and invasive capacity of tumor and stromal cells and clarifying the underlying mechanisms is most relevant for novel strategies in cancer diagnosis, prognosis, drug development and treatment. Here we shortly summarize the different modes of cell travelling and review in vitro methods, which can be used to evaluate migration and invasion. We provide a concise summary of established migration/invasion assays described in the literature, list advantages, limitations and drawbacks, give a tabular overview for convenience and depict the basic principles of the assays graphically. In many cases particular research problems and specific cell types do not leave a choice for a broad variety of usable assays. However, for most standard applications using adherent cells, based on our experience we suggest to use exclusion zone assays to evaluate migration/invasion. We substantiate our choice by demonstrating that the advantages outbalance the drawbacks e.g. the simple setup, the easy readout, the kinetic analysis, the evaluation of cell morphology and the feasibility to perform the assay with standard laboratory equipment. Finally, innovative 3D migration and invasion models including heterotypic cell interactions are discussed. These methods recapitulate the in vivo situation most closely. Results obtained with these assays have already shed new light on cancer cell spreading and potentially will uncover unknown mechanisms.
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In the majority of cases, cell migration is conflated with cell proliferation in migration assays.
“A significant drawback of these approaches is that in the majority of cases, cell migration is conflated with cell proliferation11.”
From A simple non-perturbing cell migration assay insensitive to proliferation effects (2016) · cites this paper as [11]
The exclusion zone assay relies on simply counting cells in the exclusion zone and therefore cannot distinguish the effects of proliferation from migration.
“A major drawback of this assay is that it relies on simply counting cells in the exclusion zone and therefore cannot distinguish the effects of proliferation from migration.”
From A simple non-perturbing cell migration assay insensitive to proliferation effects (2016) · cites this paper as [11]
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- Authors
- Kramer, N., Walzl, A., Unger, C., Rosner, M., Krupitza, G., Hengstschläger, M., & Dolznig, H.
- Affiliations
- Medical University of Vienna (AT)
- Corresponding author
- Dolznig, Helmut
- Venue
- Mutation Research/Reviews in Mutation Research
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2013-01
- Volume
- 752
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 10-24
- ISSN
- 1383-5742 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2054874597
- Cited by
- 1,170
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 43 · 2025: 74 · 2024: 90 · 2023: 124 · 2022: 105 · 2021: 128 · 2020: 104 · 2019: 114 · 2018: 114 · 2017: 87 · 2016: 79 · 2015: 50 · 2014: 40 · 2013: 17
- FWCI
- 3.52
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Mutation Research/Reviews in Mutation Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- NÖ Forschungs- und Bildungsges.m.b.H.
- Sixth Framework Programme (FP6 036097-2)
- Herzfelder'sche Familienstiftung
- Oesterreichische Nationalbank (P13423)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer Cells and Metastasis
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Cellular Mechanics and Interactions
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Mechanisms of cancer metastasis
- Keywords
- cell migration, cell invasion, tumor cell motility, heterotypic cell interactions, tumor stromal cells, in vitro migration assay, metastasis
- MeSH terms
- Cell Movement, Humans, Neoplasm Invasiveness, Spheroids, Cellular, Cell Migration Assays, Leukocyte, Cell Migration Assays
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