MODELS OF METASTATIC TUMORS

摘要

Cells derived from spontaneous brain tumors of inbred VM mice are described. The tumor cells (e.g., the VM-M2 and VM-M3 cell lines) are highly metastatic, with the capacity to metastasize to multiple organ systems (e.g., lymph node, skeletal muscle, heart, spinal cord, liver, spleen, kidney, lung, and brain) when introduced outside the brain. Also described are tumor cells (e.g., the VM-NMl cell line) that form non-metastatic tumors. The invention includes these cells and cell lines, as well as methods of using the same to identify candidate chemotherapeutic and antimetastatic agents.