APPLICATIONS

Tumour Heterogeneity

Unlocking the Secrets of Tumour Diversity

CellCut Laser Microdissection
Tumor Heterogeneity

What is Tumour Heterogeneity?

Tumour heterogeneity refers to the diverse composition of cells within a tumour, including cancer cells and the surrounding microenvironment. This complexity presents a major challenge for diagnosis and treatment, as different regions of a tumour can respond differently to therapy. Understanding tumour heterogeneity is crucial for cancer research, as it provides insights into how tumours grow, evolve, and interact with immune cells. By studying the cellular diversity within tumours, researchers can identify potential biomarkers, uncover mechanisms of therapy resistance, and develop more effective, personalised treatments. Advances in cellular and molecular analysis are helping to unravel tumour heterogeneity, driving progress in oncology and improving patient outcomes.

Unravelling Tumour Heterogeneity with MMI

Deciphering Tumour Complexity with CellCut

The MMI CellCut Laser microdissection system enables precise excision of distinct tumour regions, helping researchers analyse the cellular heterogeneity within the tissue. Morphologically different areas, such as inner versus outer tumour regions, can be selectively removed. Immunohistochemistry or immunofluorescence staining further allows identification and dissection of invading immune cells. Subsequent single-cell analysis reveals their roles and interactions within the tumour microenvironment, providing deeper insights into cancer biology and enabling more targeted research strategies.
 

95%+ Collection Efficiency

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Unlocking Insights from Liquid Biopsies 

The MMI CellEctor system facilitates isolation of individual circulating tumour cells (CTCs) from blood samples, offering a minimally invasive method to study tumour heterogeneity. By capturing single CTCs, researchers can examine mutational differences between sub-clones and monitor therapy response or relapse mechanisms. Integration with liquid biopsy approaches allows for dynamic evaluation over time, complementing tissue-based analyses. This approach provides a comprehensive view of cancer diversity and supports personalised therapy strategies by highlighting distinct cellular populations beyond the primary tumour.
 

Up to 100% picking efficiency

Unlocking Insights from Liquid Biopsies_v02

"The MMI CellCut enables us to selectively isolate specific tumour cell populations based on morphology from H&E stained FFPE sections for RNA analysis. Using this methodology, we have isolated distinct malignant clones within heterogeneous tumours as well as microdissected normal breast duct tissue to establish physiological expression levels. Based on gene expression, we classify breast cancer tumours to identify biomarkers towards novel effective therapeutics." 

Shawn Baldacchino

Shawn Baldacchino

Molecular Pathology Research Team led by Prof Godfrey Grech Department of Pathology Faculty of Medicine

University of Malta

Isolation of Circulating Tumour Cells using MMI CellEctor

The video shows the isolation of CTCs using the CellEctor cell picker and SIEVEWELL nanowells

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Learn more about the CellEctor cell picker for CTCs isolation

Circulating tumour cells (CTCs) can be individually isolated using the MMI CellEctor cell picker. In this workflow, the cells are first loaded into SIEVEWELL nanowells and labelled with tumour-specific markers. The cells are then automatically detected and selectively isolated using the CellEctor system. This approach enables downstream single-cell mutational analysis.

Learn more about the CellEctor cell picker for CTCs isolation

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Application Note

Isolation of Circulating Tumor Cells: A Model Workflow for Single-Cell Analysis

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We work hand-in-hand with you, designing solutions that fit your unique research needs. Complex samples? Customized workflows? We handle it all—quickly and efficiently.

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