Table 1.

A summary of models studying breast cancer dormancy.

MODELS FOR BREAST CANCER DORMANCY	SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS AND LIMITATIONS	REFERENCE
Investigated dormancy of BCCs in cocultures with bone marrow cells on 3D collagen porous scaffold (Gelfoam) both in vitro and in vivo.	Identified bone marrow stromal cells in co-culture with BCCs supported proliferation whereas other bone marrow cell lines were inhibitory. Validated findings in vivo. Bone marrow cell lines were derived from other sources—HUVEC, immortalized fetal osteoblasts and stromal cells, which may not be representative of the cells in the native adult bone marrow microenvironment.	149
Fabricated 3D scaffolds consisting of micron-sized random and aligned fibers to mimic the orientation and size of collagen fibers in the native ECM.	Investigated proliferation, viability and cell cycle analysis of BCCs on electrospun fibrous scaffold and determined the aggressive BCCs adopt a dormant phenotype, while chemoresistant BCCs retained their dormant phenotype. Co-cultures with other cells types were not examined.	150
Examined the influence of β1- and β4-integrins on BCC behavior in a 3D basement membrane (Matrigel).	Demonstrated that integrins regulated the level of the acini organization and reverted the malignant phenotype to a normal phenotype. Matrigel is derived from tumor basement membrane and can vary in protein/growth factor content.	144
Investigated BCC behavior in metastasis assay in mice and in an organotypic microvascular culture.	Determined dormant BCCs reside upon microvasculature of lung, bone marrow and brain in vivo and endothelial cells via thrombospondin-1 induces sustained BCC quiescence. HUVEC cells used in in vitro model may not represent native adult endothelium.	145