Figure 3.
Fibroblasts involved in the tumor microenvironment. (a) Fibroblasts can be activated by tumor cells in the fluidic channels of the cell culture chip with pneumatic micro-valves. The activated fibroblasts appeared as the stretched body and high expression of α-SMA under the treatment of the cancer cell medium.55 Reprinted with permission from T.-H. Hsu et al., Lab Chip 11, 1808 (2011). Copyright 2011 The Royal Society of Chemistry. (b) The invasive transition of breast cancer cells can be seen after co-cultured with fibroblasts on the Y-shaped microfluidic chip.56 Reprinted with permission from K. E. Sung et al., Integr. Biol. 3, 439 (2011). Copyright 2011 The Royal Society of Chemistry. (c) Carcinoma-associated fibroblasts promoted tumor invasion in the spheroid mode on a microfluidic 3D co-culture device.62 Reprinted with permission from T. Liu et al., Lab Chip 10, 1671 (2010). Copyright 2010 The Royal Society of Chemistry.