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Quantitative method for in vitro matrigel invasiveness measurement through image analysis software

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Abstract

The determination of cell invasion by matrigel assay is usually evaluated by counting cells able to pass through a porous membrane and attach themselves to the other side, or by an indirect quantification of eluted specific cell staining dye by means of optical density measurement. This paper describes a quantitative analytical imaging approach for determining the invasiveness of tumor cells using a simple method, based on images processing with the public domain software, ImageJ. Images obtained by direct capture are split into the red channel, and the generated image is used to measure the area that cells cover in the picture. To overcome the several disadvantages that classical cell invasion determinations present, we propose this method because it generates more accurate and sensitive determinations, and it could be a reasonable option for improving the quality of the results. The cost-effective alternative method proposed is based on this simple and robust software that is worldwide affordable.

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Acknowledgments

Authors are grateful to Laura Stokes for help with editing the manuscript. G. Gallo-Oller was supported by a fellowship from the Department of Education of the Government of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain. This research was supported in part by grants from the Department of Health of the Government of Navarra, Caja Navarra (Project 13912), Fundación Universitaria de Navarra, Pamplona; and Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria (PI-081849, to JSC; and PI-101972, to JAR), Madrid.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest related to this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Brain Tumor Biology Unit-CIFA, University of Navarra School of Sciences, Pamplona, Spain

    Gabriel Gallo-Oller & Javier S. Castresana

  2. IdiPaz Research Unit, La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain

    Juan A. Rey

  3. Digna Biotech, Orense 85, Edificio Lexington, 28020, Madrid, Spain

    Javier Dotor

  4. Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, University of Navarra School of Sciences, Irunlarrea 1, 31008, Pamplona, Spain

    Javier S. Castresana

Authors
  1. Gabriel Gallo-Oller
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  2. Juan A. Rey
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  3. Javier Dotor
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  4. Javier S. Castresana
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Javier Dotor or Javier S. Castresana.

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Gallo-Oller, G., Rey, J.A., Dotor, J. et al. Quantitative method for in vitro matrigel invasiveness measurement through image analysis software. Mol Biol Rep 41, 6335–6341 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-014-3556-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-014-3556-0

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