Figure 6
Dominant distant colonization by homotypic CTC clusters. (a) Equal numbers of Parental-mCherry and GFP-expressing parental cells (Parental) or clone H were mixed and orthotopically injected into mice. After 30 days, numbers of GFP-positive or mCherry-positive cells or clusters in PB (CTCs) and BM-DTCs were counted. (b) Representative images of primary tumors from mixtures of parental/parental cells (left panels) and parental/clone H cells (right panels). Arrows indicate cells originating from clone H. Peri: peripheral lesion. N: necrotic lesion. (c,d) Proportions of total cells (c) and cell clusters (d) positive for only GFP (green) or mCherry (red) in CTCs (left panels) and BM-DTCs (right panels) were calculated for each pooled sample. Average numbers per 50 μL of PB (right panels) and BM for half of the femur (left panels) from each mouse are given above each bar. *p < 0.05; †p < 0.0005 (Pearson's χ2 test). (e) Representative images of clusters in CTCs (left panel) and BM-DCTs (right panel).
