Experimental urological oncology: Cellular, molecular, and animal

Experimental models allow the systematic study of urological malignancies in in vitro cellular environments and in vivo animals. Models can be pure clones of animal-derived cancer cells, immortalized by genetic manipulations, and maintained in monolayer or co-cultured with non-cancer cells in biocompatible 3-D scaffolds. Immortalized cells may be ectopically or orthotopically allo- or xeno-transplanted into animal hosts, where they establish primary tumours and metastases. Additionally, animals may be genetically-engineered to develop autochthonous tumours thus mimicking cancer initiation and progression in humans. The above sequentially-complex models allow the study of cancer cell and tumour biology, as well as chemopreventative, anticancer and immune therapeutics. Here, we describe the basic principles of cancer models, and give specific examples relevant to urological malignancies