Figure 1

Microinjection of fluorescent labeled TNBC cells into the zebrafish hindbrain ventricle facilitated measurement of tumor area and metastasis. (A). Top row left: lateral view of zebrafish embryo prior to injection; top row center: lateral view of embryo injection; top row right: diagram of zebrafish microinjection with cancer cells indicated in red; bottom row far left: dorsal bright-field view of zebrafish cranial region; bottom row inner left: dorsal view after microinjection with green dextran fluorescein dye (to label ventricle); bottom row inner right: dorsal view after microinjection with red DiI-labeled TNBC cells; bottom row far right: dorsal view of red–green color combination. (B). Hematoxylin and eosin staining cross-sectional study showing rostral view (top row) and caudal view (bottom row) comparing control uninjected samples (left panels) with ventricle MDA-MB-231 TNBC-injected samples (right panels; injected TNBC cells indicated in different brain ventricles with arrows) (C). Schematic timeline for experiments showing days postfertilization (dpf), days postinjection (dpi), injection time (Inj), and imaging time points. (D). Fluorescent tracking of MDA-MB-231-Luc/RFP labeled TNBC cells over 1, 4, 6, and 8 dpi (arrow heads: labeled cancer cells localized in hindbrain; arrow: labeled cancer cells in caudal section). (E). Measurement of corrected total cell fluorescence at 1, 4, 6, and 8 dpi. Key: corrected total cell fluorescence (CTCF); p < 0.05, “****” = 0.0001; Error bars = SEM; N for 1, 4, and 6 dpi samples = 44; N for 8 dpi samples = 29.