Colo 205 Metastatic Tumor Model Service for Colon Cancer

The Colo 205 metastatic tumor model reproduces the dissemination of colon cancer from a primary site to distant organs — most notably liver and lung — in immunodeficient mice, enabling the preclinical study of metastatic cascade, organotropism, and antimetastatic therapy. Alfa Cytology develops this model end to end: cell line authentication, orthotopic or experimental-dissemination implantation, bioluminescent or caliper-based burden tracking, and metastasis-focused endpoint analysis — all under IACUC-approved, preclinical-only workflows.

Overview of Colo 205 Metastatic Tumor Model for Colon Cancer

Colo 205 is a human colon adenocarcinoma line originally isolated in 1975 from the ascitic fluid of a 70-year-old male patient with Dukes' stage D disease — that is, from a metastatic site rather than a primary tumor, which already marks the cells as a product of advanced disease. The line carries a homozygous BRAF V600E mutation, retains wild-type KRAS and TP53, and is microsatellite stable (MSS), placing it in a genetically defined molecular subclass of colorectal cancer that is notoriously aggressive and frequently refractory to standard chemotherapy. When introduced into immunodeficient mice, Colo 205 cells form tumors with high take rates, making the line a dependable vehicle for metastasis-oriented study designs.

Fig 1. In vivo fluorescence imaging of the Colo 205 subcutaneous xenograft model: Cy5.5-Sgc8-c injection with competition controls shows specific probe accumulation at Colo 205 tumor sites in athymic nude mice at 2 hours post-injection (arrows). (Arevalo, Ana Paula, et al., 2022)

Two complementary strategies are typically used to interrogate metastatic behavior. In orthotopic approaches, luciferase- or GFP-labeled Colo 205 cells are implanted into the cecal submucosa, where they grow within the native colonic microenvironment and display local invasion with regional lymphatic spread, closely mimicking early clinical dissemination. In experimental metastasis approaches, cells are delivered through defined vascular routes — intrasplenic or intraportal injection to seed the liver via portal circulation, or tail-vein injection to seed the lung — offering high reproducibility and quantitative control over metastatic burden. Because disseminated lesions are often microscopic, Colo 205 models are routinely paired with bioluminescence imaging and exhaustive post-mortem histopathology to capture both macroscopic nodules and micrometastatic foci in vivo.

Cell Line Information: Colo 205

Colo 205 (ATCC CCL-222) was established by Semple and colleagues from the ascites of a patient with Dukes' type D colon adenocarcinoma, alongside the sister lines Colo 201 and Colo 206 from the same donor. The cells show a mixed growth pattern — adherent cuboidal cells in monolayer together with rounded, refractile cells that grow in suspension clusters — and are keratin-positive by immunoperoxidase staining. The line is a member of the NCI-60 panel, has been used extensively in large-scale drug screening, and secretes carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and interleukin-10. Detailed characteristics are listed below.

Our Services

Metastasis remains the primary cause of mortality in colon cancer, and models that capture it faithfully are scarce. Alfa Cytology brings validated Colo 205 metastatic models into your program with the flexibility to select the dissemination route, imaging modality, and endpoint panel that match your mechanism of action — supported by STR-authenticated cell banks, luciferase-labeled derivatives, and experienced surgical and imaging teams working exclusively within preclinical research.

Workflow of Colo 205 Metastatic Tumor Model Construction

Building a Colo 205 metastatic model requires more surgical precision than a standard flank xenograft, because outcome depends on correct anatomic delivery and the ability to detect small, scattered lesions. The workflow below describes the typical sequence from cell preparation to metastasis quantification; route selection and endpoints are configured to each study plan.

1. Cell line authentication and labeling: Colo 205 cells are STR-verified, confirmed mycoplasma-free, and — where longitudinal tracking is required — transduced with luciferase/GFP and sorted for stable expression, with in vitro signal-to-background validated before any animal use.
2. In vitro expansion and inoculum preparation: Cells are expanded in RPMI-1640 with 10% FBS, harvested from logarithmic-phase culture (suspension and adherent fractions combined), and prepared at the defined dose — commonly 1 × 10⁶ cells in 50–100 µL of serum-free medium or Matrigel mix.
3. Host selection and surgical preparation: Immunodeficient mice (nude or SCID strains, 6–8 weeks old) are acclimatized and health-screened; for surgical routes, animals are anesthetized, aseptically prepared, and monitored through recovery according to IACUC-approved procedures.
4. Route-specific tumor inoculation: Cells are implanted into the cecal submucosa for orthotopic growth, injected into the spleen (often followed by splenectomy to prevent splenic outgrowth) or portal vein to seed the liver, or injected via the lateral tail vein to seed the lung.
5. Metastatic establishment and imaging: Tumor burden is tracked non-invasively by bioluminescence imaging on a scheduled basis, complemented by body-weight and clinical-condition monitoring; imaging signals guide randomization into treatment arms at comparable metastatic load.
6. Treatment and interim assessment: Test articles — kinase inhibitors, anti-angiogenics, chemotherapy, or combinations — are dosed on the study schedule, with interim imaging sessions used to build individual metastatic growth trajectories rather than relying on a single endpoint.
7. Necropsy and metastasis mapping: At termination, the abdominal cavity is inspected for peritoneal implants, and target organs (liver, lung, lymph nodes, spleen) are excised, weighed, and examined for surface nodules; organ-specific metastatic incidence and burden are scored systematically.
8. Histopathology and data analysis: Organs are fixed, sectioned, and examined by H&E and IHC to quantify micrometastases; bioluminescence kinetics, nodule counts, and histology data are analyzed statistically and delivered in a full study report.

Fig 2. Colo 205 Metastatic Tumor Model construction workflow.

Case Study-Colo 205 Metastatic Tumor Model Development

Alfa Cytology has established Colo 205 metastatic tumor models in support of preclinical colon cancer programs, covering both orthotopic cecal implantation and vascular-dissemination designs for liver- and lung-directed evaluation. These engagements have delivered reproducible metastatic burdens, imaging-based quantification of therapeutic response, and histologically confirmed lesion mapping that sponsors used to prioritize antimetastatic candidates and combination strategies. Illustrative datasets and study parameters are available for discussion under appropriate confidentiality arrangements.

Why Choose Alfa Cytology?

A metastatic model is only as good as the discipline behind its surgical delivery, imaging schedule, and lesion accounting. Alfa Cytology structures every Colo 205 study around validated cell banks, standardized surgical SOPs, and quantitative metastasis readouts, so that your results reflect true antimetastatic activity rather than procedural variability.

• Authenticated Colo 205 banks with documented BRAF V600E status and routine mycoplasma screening.
• Multiple dissemination routes — cecal orthotopic, intrasplenic/portal, and tail vein — selectable to match organotropism of interest.
• In-house luciferase/GFP labeling and validated in vivo imaging for longitudinal, non-invasive burden tracking.
• Standardized necropsy and organ-mapping protocols that capture both macrometastases and micrometastases.
• Surgical and imaging teams experienced in orthotopic and vascular-injection techniques with low procedural mortality.
• Customizable endpoint panels spanning H&E, IHC, angiogenesis markers, and molecular analysis within one service framework.
• IACUC-compliant preclinical execution with full documentation suitable for internal decision-making and publications.

Contact Us

Whether your program targets the metastatic cascade itself or the organ-specific lesions it produces, Alfa Cytology can configure a Colo 205 metastatic model that fits your question, your timeline, and your budget. Reach out to us to review study design options, imaging plans, and representative timelines with our scientific team. Contact us today and put a rigorous preclinical metastasis platform behind your next colon cancer program.

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