Cancer Stem Cell Migration in Three-Dimensional Aligned Collagen Matrices

Cell migration is strongly influenced by the organization of the surrounding 3-D extracellular matrix. In particular, within fibrous solid tumors, carcinoma cell invasion may be directed by patterns of aligned collagen in the extra-epithelial space. Thus, studying the interactions of heterogeneous populations of cancer cells that include the stem/progenitor-like cancer stem cell subpopulation and aligned collagen networks is critical to our understanding of carcinoma dissemination. Here, we describe a robust method to generate aligned collagen matrices in vitro that mimic in vivo fiber organization. Subsequently, a protocol is presented for seeding aligned matrices with distinct carcinoma cell subpopulations and performing live cell imaging and quantitative analysis of cell migration. Together, the engineered constructs and the imaging techniques laid out here provide a platform to study cancer stem cell migration in 3-D anisotropic collagen with real-time visualization of cellular interactions with the fibrous matrix.