Establishment of a visible peritoneal micrometastatic model from a gastricadenocarcinoma cell line by green fluorescent protein

To establish a visible peritoneal micrometastatic model, an enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) expressing plasmid vector was transfected into t he gastric cancer cell line, MKN-45. Highly expressing EGFP cells were inje cted into the peritoneal cavity of nude mice. Then, the peritoneum and abdo minal organs were harvested and observed on days 1, 4 and 7. Fluorescence s tereomicroscopy identified peritoneal micrometastases that had been undetec ted by stereomicroscopy. Micrometastases as small as a single cell are dete ctable in this model. This peritoneal micrometastatic model should be a use ful tool for research on metastasis of gastric cancer.