A study combining
tumor cells from patients with breast cancer with a laboratory model of blood vessel
lining provides the most compelling evidence so far that a specific trio of
cells is
required for the spread of breast cancer.
The resulting endothelial
cell lines described in this study retain their phenotype after repeated passage,
require minimal nutritional support and, importantly, may be useful for identifying factors that regulate endothelial
cell proliferation and
tumor cell adhesion in different anatomical regions.