Measurement of cell death by oxidative stress in three-dimensional spheroids from trophoblast and in fragments of decidua tissue.

We report a new morphometric method for measurement of the amount of cell death in three-dimensional multicellular spheroids of the trophoblast-like cell line AC1-M59 and of cultured pieces of decidua tissue (decidua spheroids) in response to a cytotoxic agent. The viability of the spheroids was assessed by adding propidium iodide to the culture medium at the end of the toxic treatment. On fluorescence and brightfield images of serial cryosections the areas of propidium iodide fluorescence and the entire corresponding spheroids were measured by applying digital image processing and ratiometrical quantification.

Mofarotene-induced inhibition of melanoma cell motility by increasing vinculin-containing focal contacts.

Tumour cell motility, which is dependent on the organization of the cytoskeleton, is considered to play an important role in the spread of malignant melanoma. Therefore, retinoids, which are modulators of cytoskeletal organization, may affect the motile activity of melanoma cells. In this study, the effects of the arotinoid mofarotene on single cell motility and vinculin organization of the highly metastatic melanoma cell line K-1735-M2 were determined.