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Crossed Bones

Understanding bone tumours by watching them as they grow

19 August 2018

Crossed Bones

Cancers that spread to bones are often difficult to treat, but finding out how tumour and bone cells live side by side may help to heal osteolytic lesions – tears created in bone tissue as a tumour grows inside. Intravital microscopy watches as this lesion, in mouse bone, widens over several days. From blue to green to red – consecutive overlapping pictures show the fringe of the hole eaten away by bone resorption – when bone cells are broken down. This bone tissue was actually grown in a lab under a mouse’s skin, with a thin surface ideal for peering through. Treating the lesion with a chemical called zoledronic acid slows the bone’s deterioration – just as it does in human patients – but doesn’t stop the cancer growing. Using biological models like this, scientists can now test combinations of drugs that preserve the bone, while targeting the cancer cells inside.

Written by John Ankers

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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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