This video describes a technique of injecting labeled cancer cells using tail vein injection into a mouse model. We further monitor breast cancer metastasis formation, and growth using real-time in vivo live animal imaging.
Protocol
1. Tail vein injection of labeled cancer cells NOTE: Step 1.2.4 has been optimized for 4T1 cells growing in syngeneic BALB/c mice. If other cancer cell lines and mouse strains are used, the number of cells injected, and the length of the assay should first be optimized. Expand the 4T1 cell lines generated in step 2 on two 15 cm dishes in complete growth media so that excess cells are available on the day of injection. Prepare the cells for tail vein injec…
Disclosures
The authors have nothing to disclose.
Materials
2.5% Trypsin
Gibco
15090-046
Trypsin for tissue culture
Alcohol wipes
For sterolizing the injection site before tail vein injecitons
BALB/C mice (female, 6 weeks)
Taconic
BALB-F
For tail vein metastatic colonization and burden assays
Tail Vein Injection: A Method to Administer Cancer Cells for Metastatic Studies in a Mouse Model. J. Vis. Exp. (Pending Publication), e20228, doi: (2023).