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International Childhood Cancer Day Blast Off
15 February 2014

Blast Off

Cells are bit like conservative grandparents – they know what they like and really aren't too keen on trying new things. That’s why making them grow happily outside of the body in a strange environment is no easy feat. The cells responsible for neuroblastoma (NB) – a common childhood cancer that originates in the nervous system – are particularly picky. While NB cells that have migrated to other parts of the body or metastasised are happy to grow in a nourishing medium in the lab, those that have stayed in the nervous system refuse to develop typically. However, by tinkering with the make-up of the medium, scientists coaxed these stubborn NB cells into forming a characteristic ball-shaped tumour and into sending out long exploratory branches (pictured). This opens up the possibility of personalised medicine, as drugs could be tested on tumours grown from individual patients' cells before being used to treat them.

Written by Jan Piotrowski

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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