Animation gallery
Scientists at the ICR
produce beautiful images illustrating different aspects of cancer
and utilising various techniques. Some of these techniques can produce
animated images depicting physiological processes in normal and cancerous
cells.
A number of animations and images are featured in Perspectives
in Oncology, the cancer science website project. This gallery shows some of these. Click
on a thumbnail image to see a larger version.
Angiogenesis
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In order to grow and spread, tumours must induce a new blood supply. Endothelial cell migration and capillary sprouting is a critical event during tumour neoangiogenesis (growth of new blood vessels). Many tumour cells stimulate the formation of microtubules by secreting growth factors, a process illustrated in this clip. The endothelial cells (labelled red) are forming microtubules in contact with tumour cells labelled green in co culture in vitro.
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Image courtesy of Will Court, Cancer Research UK Centre for Cancer Therapeutics. |
Chromosomes from normal and cancer cells
Cancers are generally considered genetic diseases and the tumours
themselves show changes in the genetic material (DNA). Large changes
in DNA can be seen at the chromosomal level and detected using fluorescent
dyes.
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The first image shows normal human chromosomes from a male
with 22 pairs of chromosomes and the X and Y sex chromosomes.
The second image shows chromosomes from a testicular cancer;
there are many more chromosomes than normal and various structural
changes in the chromosomes.
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In these pictures each chromosome is 'painted' with a different
colour using specific mixtures of fluorescent dyes. This technique
allows the chromosomal changes associated with the tumour
to be characterised. Localising the chromosomal regions involved
can pinpoint the location of genes involved in the development
or progression of tumours. Changes may be useful diagnostically,
lead to a better understanding of the underlying molecular
biology and aberrant genes may be targets for novel and specific
therapies.
Images courtesy of Brenda Summersgill and Janet Shipley,
Molecular Cytogenetics Team, Section of Molecular Carcinogenesis.
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Dividing cell
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When cells divide their genetic material (DNA) is packaged
into chromosomes. Part of this process is shown in this 3D
projection movie of a dividing cell generated from a through
focus series of images taken on a Leica confocal microscope.
The spindle apparatus of the cell - shown in green - has
been visualised using an anti-tubulin antibody followed by
a fluorescent second layer. The chromosomes are counterstained
blue.
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| Image courtesy of David Robertson,
Breakthrough |
3D reconstruction of a group of cells
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The reconstruction has been generated from a "stack"
of images taken using a confocal microscope. The subcellular
organelles are shown in different colours; the nucleus (which
contains the genetic material) is blue, actin filaments (which
help the cell to maintain its shape) are green and mitochondria
(which provide the energy for the cell's various activities)
are red.
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| Image courtesy of David Robertson,
Breakthrough |
Movement of cells - closing a "wound"
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These images show a cell monolayer that has been
'wounded' to allow visualisation of cell movement into the gap
over the surface of the plastic plate. This process is called
'haptotaxis' and seems to utilise different cellular signals
than 'chemotaxis' shown below. Images are taken at twenty minute
intervals using a digital camera attached to an Olympus inverted
microscope and then merged together to form a movie.
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Image courtesy of Will Court, Cancer Research UK Centre
for Cancer Therapeutics and Neil Jones, Section of Cell and
Molecular Biology
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Movement of cells passing through a membrane
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Movement of cells through a Transwell porous membrane
(chemotaxis). The cells have been labelled with a compound that
is cleaved within the cell to produce a fluorescent dye. The
cells are then excited at a specific wavelength and the resultant
emitted fluorescent light is detected with a highly sensitive
cooled CCD camera attached to an Olympus inverted microscope. This approach
and the one shown immediately above allows scientists to accurately
measure the effects of compounds that inhibit the movement of tumour
cells - this inhibition may prevent the ability of the cells
to metastasise (spread). |
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Image courtesy of Will Court, Cancer Research UK Centre
for Cancer Therapeutics
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