EXPRESSION OF TYPE-VI COLLAGEN DURING GLIOBLASTOMA CELL INVASION IN BRAIN-TISSUE CULTURES

Human glioblastoma cells, U-87 MG, were utilized in two separate rat b rain tissue culture systems. In both cases, the glioblastoma cells dee ply penetrated and formed tumor masses inside the brain tissues. Immun ofluorescence technique, utilizing anti-type VI collagen antibodies de monstrated strong immunoreactivity of type VI collagen in the tumor ma sses, invading cells, and cell groups. We suggest that type VI collage n may be involved in tumor cells infiltration and invasion of healthy rat brain tissues. Furthermore, the brain tissue culture method may pr ovide a rapid in vitro model with which cellular and extracellular det erminants of invasiveness may be studied.