Tumour Microenvironment Laboratory
Institute of Anatomy and BIOCEV, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague and Vestec
Group leader: Professor Karel Smetana, Jr., MD., DSc.
website: https://skin-stem-cell.webnode.cz/
email: karel.smetana@lf1.cuni.cz
Extracellular vesicles - communication tool between cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts
Our research is oriented on the role of the tumour microenvironment, especially in cancer originating from the skin (melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer), mucosa of the head and neck and also the pancreas. We collect samples of malignant/normal tissues and isolate cells for in vitro experiments (2D and 3D). We employ a broad panel of methods to analyse this material, namely immunohistochemistry, immunocytochemistry, advanced imaging techniques, various biochemical and metabolic assays, proteomics and genomics. Our research primarily addresses the molecular composition of the tumour microenvironment, especially the expression of growth factors, chemokines, cytokines, and components of the extracellular matrix. We also study multifaceted aspects of intercellular communication between cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts, including exosomes. The research program involves several laboratories in Prague and Vestec, respectively. Long-lasting collaboration links us with laboratories based at the First Faculty of Medicine (Institute of Biochemistry and Experimental Oncology, Institute of Pathological Physiology and BIOCEV), the Faculty of Sciences (Institute of Cell Biology), Charles University as well as the Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences.
Heterogeneous spheroids prepared from G361 melanoma cells and melanoma-derived cancer-associated fibroblast in 3D collagen gel under the influence of exosomes prepared from G361 cells. The migration of melanoma cells from the original spheroid (light blue) is marked by pink.
