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Fig. 1 | Journal of Hematology & Oncology

Fig. 1

From: Current status and perspectives of patient-derived xenograft models in cancer research

Fig. 1

Overview of the methodology to establish PDX models and their uses in cancer research. Tumors from cancer patients (P0) are fragmented or digested into single-cell suspension and then transplanted (directly or with additives such as Matrigel) into immunodeficient mice (P1) for engraftment. Once grown, the tumors were transplanted into secondary recipients (P2) for tumor expansion. The expanded tumors can then be cryopreserved or transplanted into P3 mice for cancer research of the type of origin. Specifically, tumors can be transplanted into the sites other than that the tumors are derived, called heterotopic transplantation or into the corresponding sites of the tumors like the brain [39, 97], lung [130], liver [12], pancreas [131, 132], kidney [26],and ovary [11], which is called orthotopic transplantation. The successfully established PDX models are to be used in cancer research, which consists of two, basic and preclinical, arms. Basic and preclinical cancer research in PDX models are connected with each other, as basic research can identify therapeutic targets or strategies for preclinical tests and preclinical research can generate new basic questions

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