As these cancers develop there is a dynamic interaction between the epithelial neoplastic cells and the ECM. Thus selective imaging of the collagen assembly in the stroma may provide an earlier diagnostic optical signature. Imaging collagen changes in ovarian and breast cancer: Alterations to the ECM composition and structure are thought to be critical for tumor initiation and progression for several epithelial carcinomas, including those of the ovary and breast.
We also utilize multiphoton excited photochemistry to fabricate 3D nano/microstructured models of the ECM for studying signaling pathways in cancer as well as for tissue engineering applications. Our primary imaging tool is Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) microscopy for quantifying changes in the fibril/fiber assembly of collagen in cancer and connective tissue disorders. To better understand these interactions our lab develops biophotonics tools based on nonlinear optical methods. In addition to providing structural support, the ECM provides biophysical signals that direct cell shape, differentiation, migration, proliferation, as well as new tissue synthesis by presenting a complex milieu of topographic, mechanical and biochemical cues. The ECM largely consists of a complex network of interwoven protein fibers that are assembled into a 3D nanostructured architecture. Our lab works to understand how cells interact with the extracellular matrix (ECM) and how these interactions change in diseased states.
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