KYSE-150 Orthotopic Mouse Model Service for Esophageal Cancer

KYSE-150 Orthotopic Mouse Model Service for Esophageal Cancer enables human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma to develop inside the mouse esophagus itself, where the tumor experiences the organ’s true stromal, vascular, and mechanical environment. Alfa Cytology constructs and manages this technically demanding model with proven surgical precision and disciplined study oversight, supplying authenticated KYSE-150 material, expert orthotopic implantation, scheduled tumor measurements, and complete endpoint pathology for your preclinical programs.

Overview of KYSE-150 Orthotopic Mouse Model for Esophageal Cancer

KYSE-150 belongs to the widely used KYSE panel of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) lines, established by Shimada and colleagues from a primary esophageal tumor of a 49-year-old female patient. As an orthotopic xenograft, KYSE-150 cells are injected directly into the muscular layer of the esophageal wall in nude mice, a technique in which a microscale inoculum—reported to be as few as 1 × 10⁵ cells in a 10 μL volume—produces tumors with 100% efficiency at the native site. These tumors progress with esophageal luminal stricture, transmural invasion from mucosa to adventitia, lymphovascular permeation, focal keratinization, and luminal ulceration, closely mirroring the nodular growth and histopathology seen in human clinical specimens.

Fig 1. KYSE150-Luc orthotopic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tumors established by direct esophageal inoculation, demonstrating primary tumor burden and treatment-associated changes following chemotherapy. (Ng, Hoi Yan, et al., 2018)

Orthotopic KYSE-150 tumors have also proven responsive to molecular intervention—AKT silencing, for example, produced statistically significant growth inhibition confirmed by in vivo bioluminescence tracking—demonstrating that the model resolves genuine pathway-level biology. Together these properties make the KYSE-150 orthotopic model a stringent platform for testing therapeutics, studying invasion and metastasis, and validating gene function in preclinical ESCC research.

Cell Line Information: KYSE-150

KYSE-150 is one of the best-documented ESCC lines in the literature, with publicly available genomic, cytogenetic, and functional data that make it a dependable anchor for orthotopic studies. The line is distributed by the Japanese Collection of Research Bioresources (JCRB1095) and cataloged in Cellosaurus, and luciferase-tagged derivatives as well as radioresistant and highly metastatic variants have been derived from it. Its defining characteristics are summarized below.

Our Services

For Alfa Cytology, the KYSE-150 orthotopic model is a capability built on meticulous technique: controlled inoculum volumes, microscope-guided placement in the esophageal wall, and welfare-centered postoperative care that keeps cohorts viable through the full study window. Clients receive a clearly documented protocol, defined go/no-go checkpoints, and an endpoint data package that connects tumor measurements with histopathology—everything a preclinical team needs to interpret results with confidence.

Workflow of KYSE-150 Orthotopic Mouse Model Construction

Successful orthotopic construction with KYSE-150 rests on precision at three points—the inoculum, the implantation, and the follow-up. The standard sequence is as follows:

1. Cell qualification and expansion: KYSE-150 cultures are verified by STR profiling, screened for mycoplasma, and expanded under defined conditions so that only authenticated, log-phase cells enter the surgical schedule.
2. Inoculum preparation: Cells are harvested, counted, and adjusted to the validated working concentration—classically 1 × 10⁵ cells in a 10 μL volume—with mixing just before loading to guarantee a uniform suspension for each animal.
3. Anesthesia and exposure: Nude mice are anesthetized and the lower esophagus is exposed through an abdominal approach, gently straightening the esophagus by caudal traction on the stomach while the surgical field is stabilized with retractors.
4. Microscope-guided wall injection: Using a fine 30-gauge needle, the cell suspension is injected into the muscularis externa of the esophageal wall near the mid-esophageal region; gentle pressure at the puncture site on needle withdrawal prevents leakage into the lumen or peritoneal cavity.
5. Layered wound closure: The peritoneum is closed with absorbable sutures and the skin with wound clips, after which animals recover under warmth until full motility returns.
6. Postoperative welfare surveillance: Body weight, hydration, appetite, and behavior are scored daily during recovery, with intervention thresholds defined in the protocol to protect animal welfare.
7. Tumor monitoring and treatment phase: Tumor establishment and burden are tracked at scheduled intervals, by caliper where accessible or by bioluminescence when a labeled derivative is used, and animals are randomized to treatment once tumors reach target size.
8. Necropsy and histopathology: At endpoint, esophagi are collected intact for caliper measurements, H&E sectioning, and immunohistochemical or molecular assays, with findings compiled into the final study report.

Fig 2. KYSE-150 orthotopic mouse model construction workflow.

Case Study-KYSE-150 Orthotopic Mouse Model Development

Alfa Cytology has conducted preclinical engagements in which the KYSE-150 orthotopic esophageal cancer model was established and applied to investigator-driven questions, including tumor growth characterization and treatment response assessment under organ-matched conditions. Each program followed a defined protocol with preset welfare limits and endpoint criteria. Relevant case summaries can be shared under appropriate confidentiality arrangements to help your team anticipate model performance and plan study logistics.

Why Choose Alfa Cytology?

Few models punish imprecision as quickly as an esophageal orthotopic xenograft. Alfa Cytology’s KYSE-150 service is organized around the details that determine success:

• Protocol-driven cell qualification ensures every cohort starts from authenticated, mycoplasma-free KYSE-150 cultures.
• Microscope-guided muscularis externa implantation reflects published best practice and supports consistent, leak-free tumor take.
• Defined welfare thresholds and daily postoperative scoring protect data integrity as well as animal wellbeing.
• Flexible monitoring options cover caliper measurements and bioluminescence tracking with luciferase-tagged derivatives.
• Endpoint packages pair gross measurements with H&E and immunohistochemistry for defensible histopathological conclusions.
• Experienced study directors remain the single point of contact from protocol design through final report, keeping communication direct.

Contact Us

If you are weighing the KYSE-150 orthotopic mouse model for your esophageal cancer research, reach out to us with your objectives and timeline. Alfa Cytology will respond with a feasibility assessment and a study plan shaped around your specific preclinical questions.

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