In vitro three-dimensional cancer metastasis modeling:Past,present, and future

Metastasis is the leading cause of most cancer deaths, as opposed to dysregulated cell growth of the primary tumor.Molecular mechanisms of metastasis have been studied for decades and the findings have evolved our understanding of the progression of malignancy. However, most of the molecular mechanisms fail to address the causes of cancer and its evolutionary origin, demonstrating an inability to find a solution for complete cure of cancer. After being a neglected area of tumor biology for quite some time, recently several studies have focused on the impact of the tumor microenvironment on cancer growth. The importance of the tumor microenvironment is gradually gaining attention, particularly from the perspective of biophysics. In vitro three-dimensional(3-D) metastatic models are an indispensable platform for investigating the tumor microenvironment, as they mimic the in vivo tumor tissue. In 3-D metastatic in vitro models, static factors such as the mechanical properties, biochemical factors, as well as dynamic factors such as cell–cell, cell–ECM interactions, and fluid shear stress can be studied quantitatively. With increasing focus on basic cancer research and drug development, the in vitro 3-D models offer unique advantages in fundamental and clinical biomedical studies.     

肿瘤物理学——探索癌症的新思路

<正>目前全球每年约有700万人死于癌症,而到2030年将可能超过1310万。在过去的几十年里,尽管癌症研究不断出现新进展,但研究成果不甚显著,最直接的证明便是死亡率无明显下降。癌症研究进展迟缓,可以说处于探索时期。这让越来越多的研究人员开始怀疑,用经典的生物学或医学思路研究癌症是否存在策略上的缺陷?——译者注     

一种基于SU8聚合物的基因测序芯片

基因测序技术极大地推动了生物学和医学研究的发展. 结合了焦磷酸测序 原理及阵列式微反应池芯片的高通量测序仪在从头测序和宏基因组测序方面有着不可替代的作用. 本文首次提出并研制了一种基于SU8聚合物的基因测序芯片. 选择了高传输效率、 低耦合损耗的光纤面板作为基片, 通过改善SU8均匀性及释放应力, 在光纤面板上成功制备出百万数量级阵列式微反应池; 设计并制作侧壁镀膜装置, 实现了SU8阵列式微反应池侧壁选择性光学薄膜蒸镀, 有效地提高了微反应池的光学隔离度, 将相邻微反应池之间的光串扰率平均值从25%降低到了1%, 满足了高通量焦磷酸测序对测序芯片独立并行传输弱光信号的要求. 基于SU8聚合物的基因测序芯片制备工艺简单、成本低廉, 具有良好的应用前景. 关键词： DNA测序 SU8 微反应池 光纤面板     

检测禽流感H5亚型病毒的阻抗型免疫研究

研制了一种可用于H5亚型禽流感病毒快速检测的阻抗型免疫传感器。通过蛋白A将H5N1表面抗原血凝素(HA)的单克隆抗体固定于金叉指阵列微电极表面,并与待测溶液中的目标抗原H5N1进行免疫反应。在[Fe(CN)6]3"/4"溶液中进行电化学阻抗谱扫描,表征电极的表面修饰及抗原捕获过程。当H5N1病毒浓度在21～26 HA unit/50μL范围时,其浓度的对数值与叉指阵列微电极的电子传递阻抗的变化值呈线性关系,相关系数为0.9885;检出限为20 HA unit/50μL,检测时间为1 h。此传感器特异性好,灵敏度高,可以重复使用,在病原微生物快速检测领域具有良好的应用前景。     

解旋酶Sen1行走机制的研究

转录终止是调节基因转录过程的重要步骤,关系到基因表达调控过程的正常进行和基因组的稳定性.酵母体系中,Sen1是一种解旋酶,通过水解腺苷三磷酸(adenosine triphosphate,ATP)获得能量来行使在核酸底物上的一维运动,进而实现转录终止功能.然而,Sen1的这种运动机制与转录终止功能的关联,目前尚未清晰的表征.本文应用凝胶电泳迁移方法表征Sen1解旋双链DNA和结合单链DNA的能力,并且发现单个Sen1分子能够结合≤24 nt(nucleotide,nt)的单链DNA;进一步,在提供ATP的条件下,应用单分子荧光共振能量转移技术表征了Sen1在单链DNA上的行走功能,其行走速率随ATP浓度变化而变化,符合经典米氏动力学模型;考虑单链DNA底物的长度,可以估算出Sen1的行走速率约为70 nt/s.这些研究结果定量表征了Sen1的行走速率,为理解真核转录终止机制提供了分子马达运动方面的实验数据.