Breast cancer cells with distinct E-cadherin status exhibit different 3-D invasion behavior in a novel microfluidic system

Different E-cadherin status in breast cancer is associated with different invasion abilities. However, a relevant in vitro study to study this is still missing from the literature. We developed a microfluidic system to characterize the invasion of three breast cancer cell lines with distinct E-cadherin status in 3D under the influence of a chemotactic gradient. We showed that this system can be used to capture the cells’ migration ability and invasion pattern. Using a perfusion system to control chemotactic gradients and integration of a 3D extracellular matrix, we could mimic two essential components of the tumor microenvironment during cancer invasion.