BGC-823 / BGC-823-luc Orthotopic Mouse Model Service for Gastric Cancer

The BGC-823 / BGC-823-luc orthotopic mouse model transplants human gastric adenocarcinoma cells into their organ of origin, where they form vascularized tumors that invade the gastric wall and metastasize to lymph nodes and distant organs in a manner that closely mirrors patient disease. Alfa Cytology delivers this xenograft platform as a turnkey preclinical service — host selection, surgical implantation, luciferase-based tumor tracking in vivo, and comprehensive histopathological endpoints — so your therapeutic candidates are tested in a system that genuinely reflects clinical behavior.

Overview of BGC-823 / BGC-823-luc Orthotopic Mouse Model for Gastric Cancer

In the BGC-823 orthotopic model, tumors are established directly within the stomach wall of immunodeficient mice, either by injecting a BGC-823 cell suspension into the subserosal layer or by placing small tumor fragments beneath the gastric serosa. Compared with subcutaneous xenografts, this orthotopic setting restores the anatomical context of gastric cancer: tumors recruit a dense local capillary network, progressively invade through the stomach layers, compress adjacent organs, and can narrow the gastric cavity, while tumor cells disseminate to regional lymph nodes, the peritoneum, and distant organs such as the spleen, kidney, and testis. Histologically, BGC-823 orthotopic tumors remain poorly differentiated, reflecting the aggressive biology of the parental cell line, and they display markedly greater metastatic propensity than comparably constructed SGC-7901 orthotopic tumors, with a correspondingly shorter median survival of the tumor-bearing animals.

Fig 1. Longitudinal bioluminescence imaging of a BGC-823-Luc orthotopic gastric cancer model established at the greater curvature of the stomach, demonstrating primary tumor progression and hepatic metastatic dissemination. (Deng, Rui, et al., 2023)

The BGC-823-luc derivative, engineered to constitutively express firefly luciferase, adds a powerful non-invasive dimension to this model. Whole-body bioluminescence imaging in vivo allows primary tumor growth to be quantified longitudinally week by week, and — critically for metastasis research — the emergence of secondary lesions can be detected and monitored in real time without serial sacrifice. In vitro, BGC-823 cells are straightforward to culture and expand, which supports scalable model production. Together, these properties have made the BGC-823 / BGC-823-luc orthotopic system a widely used preclinical tool for efficacy screening of cytotoxic, targeted, and combination agents, for evaluating anti-invasive and anti-metastatic strategies, and for dissecting tumor–stroma interactions in gastric cancer.

Cell Line Information: BGC-823 / BGC-823-luc

BGC-823 is a human gastric adenocarcinoma cell line derived from the primary tumor of a 62-year-old Chinese male patient; the original specimen was preserved at the Tumor Institute of Tianjin in China, where the line was established in the early 1980s. It represents a classic poorly differentiated gastric cancer model: cells are adherent and epithelial-like with polygonal or spindle-shaped morphology, grow rapidly in vitro in RPMI-1640 or DMEM supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum, and engraft reliably in immunodeficient hosts. BGC-823-luc is a luciferase-tagged derivative that constitutively expresses firefly luciferase, enabling bioluminescent detection and quantification of tumor burden in vivo. Orthotopically, BGC-823 tumors are distinguished by an unusually rich capillary supply and a strong tendency toward metastatic spread, behaviors that have made this line a preferred choice when aggressive, metastasis-prone gastric cancer models are required.

Our Services

Running an orthotopic xenograft study demands precision at every stage, and Alfa Cytology brings that precision to your program: authenticated BGC-823 and BGC-823-luc cell banks, refined microsurgical implantation procedures, scheduled imaging and dosing visits, and full necropsy with histopathology — all coordinated under one project plan so your team receives clean, publication-quality datasets.

Workflow of BGC-823 / BGC-823-luc Orthotopic Mouse Model Construction

Building a reliable BGC-823 orthotopic model combines careful cell preparation with meticulous microsurgery. The workflow below describes the standard procedure, from expanding the cells in vitro to final histopathological analysis.

1. Cell Expansion and Quality Control: BGC-823 or BGC-823-luc cells are expanded to the logarithmic phase, verified mycoplasma-negative, and checked for viability; luciferase expression in BGC-823-luc is confirmed by a in vitro bioluminescence assay before release for implantation.
2. Donor Tumor Generation (Optional): For fragment-based implantation, cells are first inoculated subcutaneously into donor immunodeficient mice; once flank tumors reach approximately 1 cm³, viable peripheral tissue is excised, and necrotic areas are trimmed away before the tumor is minced into ~1 mm³ fragments.
3. Host Preparation and Acclimatization: Female BALB/c nude mice (or NSG mice where indicated), typically 5–6 weeks old, are acclimatized for about one week and screened for general health before entering the surgical cohort.
4. Anesthesia and Abdominal Exposure: Animals receive intraperitoneal ketamine-based anesthesia (approximately 100 mg/kg ketamine, often combined with xylazine); the abdominal skin is shaved, disinfected, and a 5–10 mm incision is made through the skin and peritoneum to exteriorize the stomach.
5. Creation of the Subserosal Pocket: On the gastric corpus or greater curvature, a 1–2 mm incision is made in the serosa, and microsurgical forceps gently widen the subserosal plane to form a small pocket that will receive the implant.
6. Orthotopic Implantation: A single tumor fragment is inserted into the subserosal pocket (alternatively, a cell suspension of about 1 × 10⁶ cells in 25–50 µL is injected into the subserosa), the entry is sealed with a gelatin sponge and tissue adhesive, and gentle pressure confirms there is no leakage.
7. Closure and Postoperative Care: The abdominal wall and skin are closed with 4–0 absorbable sutures; animals recover on a warming platform and receive fluid support and analgesia according to IACUC-approved protocols, with daily health monitoring until full recovery.
8. Monitoring, Randomization, and Endpoint Analysis: BGC-823-luc tumors are imaged weekly by bioluminescence in vivo to track primary growth and metastasis; once tumors reach the predefined signal or size threshold, animals are randomized and treated. At endpoint, the primary gastric tumor is measured and weighed, lymph nodes, liver, and peritoneal cavity are inspected for metastases, and tissues are processed for H&E, immunohistochemistry, and molecular analysis.

Fig 2. BGC-823 / BGC-823-luc orthotopic mouse model construction workflow.

Case Study-BGC-823 / BGC-823-luc Orthotopic Mouse Model Development

The BGC-823 / BGC-823-luc orthotopic platform has been employed in a range of preclinical investigations of gastric cancer therapeutics, from early efficacy screening to metastasis-oriented study designs. Alfa Cytology has supported programs applying this model across small molecules, biologics, and combination regimens, with readouts that combine longitudinal bioluminescence imaging, survival assessment, and detailed histopathological characterization of primary and metastatic lesions. Anonymized case summaries and representative data presentations are available on request to demonstrate model performance and study deliverables.

Why Choose Alfa Cytology?

An orthotopic model is only as valuable as the consistency with which it is built and read out. Alfa Cytology pairs this highly metastatic xenograft platform with disciplined surgical, imaging, and pathology workflows, so every study starts from a stable foundation and ends with defensible data.

• Authenticated BGC-823 and BGC-823-luc cell banks with routine mycoplasma and luciferase-expression quality control.
• Both cell suspension and tumor fragment implantation routes available to match your study design and timeline.
• Non-invasive bioluminescence imaging in vivo for real-time tracking of primary tumor growth and metastatic onset.
• A naturally aggressive, metastasis-prone tumor phenotype suited to anti-invasive and anti-metastatic therapeutic evaluation.
• Customizable endpoint panels covering necropsy, metastasis mapping, H&E, immunohistochemistry, and molecular assays.
• IACUC-compliant husbandry, anesthesia, and perioperative care that protect animal welfare and data integrity.
• A single accountable project team coordinating surgery, imaging, dosing, and pathology from start to finish.

Contact Us

Ready to advance your gastric cancer program with a clinically faithful orthotopic model? Reach out to Alfa Cytology to discuss your study objectives, obtain a tailored quotation, or arrange a consultation with our in vivo modeling experts — contact us today and let us help you move your candidate forward with confidence.

For research use only. Not intended for any clinical use.