ROLE OF EXTRACELLULAR-MATRIX ON COLONIC-CANCER CELL-MIGRATION AND PROLIFERATION

A simplified method to quantitatively analyze the migration and prolif erative capacity of a colonic cancer cell line (SW837) in vitro was de veloped. The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of the e xtracellular matrix in colon cancer metastasis. We used this model to investigate the effects of the extracellular matrix components collage n type I and type IV, laminin, and fibronectin on the migration and th e proliferation of cancer cells. Migration was fastest on laminin and slowest on collagen type I. Further, proliferation was highest on lami nin of all extracellular matrices groups studied. Therefore, it is con cluded that laminin had pronounced effects on migration and proliferat ion of SW837 cells. These findings suggest that the composition of the extracellular matrix plays an important role in the mechanism of meta stasis of colon cancer cells. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.