When normal cells are grown in culture they stop growing when they become overcrowded. This is called contact inhibition. Cancer cells in culture grow in an uncontrolled way because they have lost this property. This helps tumors to form in the body. In addition, many different cell types can be present in a single tumor.
This Edvotek experiment allows students to see the differences between normal and cancer cells in both their growth and cell types.
For 6 student groups.
Time required: 35 minutes.
Kit includes: instructions, multispot slides (2 cell types each), fixing agent, eosin and FlashBlue stain, mounting medium, cover slips, transfer pipets, immersion troughs.
All you need: microscope with minimum of 40x magnification.