OVCAR-8 / OVCAR-8-luc Orthotopic Mouse Model Service for Ovarian Cancer

The OVCAR-8 / OVCAR-8-luc orthotopic mouse model places a luciferase-tagged high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma directly into the ovarian microenvironment, capturing the invasive, drug-refractory biology of the disease more faithfully than ectopic implants. Alfa Cytology provides a fully integrated preclinical solution for this model — encompassing reporter-line qualification, orthotopic implantation, serial in vivo bioluminescence imaging, treatment arms, and comprehensive endpoint histopathology — so investigators can evaluate ovarian cancer therapies on a rigorous, translationally meaningful platform.

Overview of OVCAR-8 / OVCAR-8-luc Orthotopic Mouse Model for Ovarian Cancer

OVCAR-8 is a human high-grade serous ovarian adenocarcinoma cell line established at the U.S. National Cancer Institute and included in the NCI-60 screening panel, from which it has become one of the most heavily profiled ovarian cancer lines in the literature. Unlike many epithelial ovarian lines, OVCAR-8 exhibits a mesenchymal-leaning phenotype — with high vimentin and N-cadherin expression, low E-cadherin, rapid proliferation, and the strongest clonogenic capacity of the commonly used HGSOC panels — features that translate into aggressive, disseminating tumor growth after orthotopic implantation into the mouse ovarian bursa. Its homozygous TP53 mutation, high homologous recombination deficiency score, and YAP amplification mirror molecular hallmarks frequently observed in advanced ovarian carcinoma.

Fig 1. Sequential bioluminescence imaging of the same OVCAR8luc-bearing NOD/SCID mice inoculated with 5×10⁶ (upper panel, day 0–63) or 10×10⁶ (lower panel, day 0–54) cells, showing progressive peritoneal tumor growth from small focal pelvic signals to diffuse whole-abdomen signals with ascites at late stages, with individual-mouse growth curves demonstrating dose-dependent kinetics and established 2-hour post-inoculation baseline imaging. (Shen, Yen Ting, et al., 2019)

The OVCAR-8-luc derivative adds stable firefly luciferase expression, permitting the burden and spread of orthotopically grown tumors to be monitored serially and non-invasively by bioluminescence imaging following D-luciferin injection. This readout, together with the capacity of OVCAR-8 to form measurable tumors in both subcutaneous and intrabursal compartments, has made the OVCAR-8 / OVCAR-8-luc orthotopic system a valuable tool in in vivo studies of platinum and PARP inhibitor efficacy, investigational combination regimens, and drug candidates aimed at overcoming chemoresistance — including work informed by NCI/ADR-RES, the well-known doxorubicin-resistant derivative of the parental line.

Cell Line Information: OVCAR-8 / OVCAR-8-luc

The table below summarizes the defining characteristics of OVCAR-8 (Cellosaurus CVCL_1629) and its luciferase-engineered counterpart, OVCAR-8-luc, which retains the parental biology while adding optical reporting capability for in vitro and in vivo assays.

Our Services

Alfa Cytology operates the OVCAR-8 / OVCAR-8-luc orthotopic model as a turnkey preclinical program: cells are qualified for identity, luciferase signal, and sterility before surgery; mice are implanted by trained surgeons with defined cell numbers and matrices; and study execution proceeds through scheduled in vivo imaging, dosing, interim sampling, and terminal tissue analysis — culminating in a structured report designed to inform your go/no-go decisions.

Workflow of OVCAR-8 / OVCAR-8-luc Orthotopic Mouse Model Construction

Model construction is executed as a controlled, sequential pipeline. The eight stages below are applied with defined quality checkpoints so that orthotopic tumors establish consistently and generate dependable in vivo datasets.

1. Cell-line qualification: OVCAR-8 or OVCAR-8-luc cells are expanded from authenticated, low-passage stocks; identity is confirmed by STR profiling and cultures are certified mycoplasma-negative before any animal work begins.
2. Reporter verification (OVCAR-8-luc): Stable luciferase expression is validated in vitro by standard luminescence assay, and cells are collected during exponential growth for implantation.
3. Mouse preparation and randomization: Female immunocompromised mice (commonly BALB/c nude or NOD/SCID, 6–8 weeks of age) are acclimated, health-screened, and assigned to study groups under an approved animal protocol.
4. Orthotopic inoculation: Under anesthesia and sterile conditions, the ovary and surrounding fat pad are exposed through a small abdominal incision, and 1×10⁶–5×10⁶ OVCAR-8 / OVCAR-8-luc cells (with or without extracellular-matrix support such as Matrigel) are delivered into the ovarian bursa under microscopic guidance; the incision is then closed with sutures or clips.
5. Recovery and baseline imaging: Post-operative welfare is monitored daily, and once wounds have healed, baseline bioluminescence images are captured after intraperitoneal D-luciferin injection to document implantation success.
6. Scheduled tumor monitoring: Tumor progression is followed at defined intervals by in vivo bioluminescence imaging, with body-weight tracking and optional caliper-free surrogate measurements as appropriate to the design.
7. Randomized treatment phase: When tumor signals reach pre-set thresholds, animals are randomized into vehicle and treatment arms and dosed according to the client-defined regimen, with adverse effects and tolerability recorded throughout.
8. Endpoint necropsy and analysis: At study conclusion, primary ovarian tumors and disseminated lesions are excised, weighed, and imaged ex vivo; tissues are fixed for H&E and immunohistochemistry (e.g., Ki67, cleaved caspase-3), and the resulting data are compiled into a full study report.

Fig 2. OVCAR-8 / OVCAR-8-luc orthotopic mouse model construction workflow.

Case Study-OVCAR-8 / OVCAR-8-luc Orthotopic Mouse Model Development

Alfa Cytology has accumulated hands-on experience with the OVCAR-8 / OVCAR-8-luc orthotopic system across a range of preclinical programs. Completed work includes model establishment and baseline characterization, bioluminescence-guided efficacy testing of chemotherapeutic and targeted agents, and evaluation of combination strategies designed to counteract therapy resistance. Because each program is configured around the client's molecule and hypothesis, study designs, endpoints, and readouts can be tailored flexibly — representative case details are available on inquiry.

Why Choose Alfa Cytology?

Selecting Alfa Cytology for your OVCAR-8 / OVCAR-8-luc orthotopic study means partnering with a team that treats surgical precision, data integrity, and communication as non-negotiable:

• Deep hands-on expertise with intrabursal surgical implantation of the OVCAR-8 orthotopic model.
• STR-verified, mycoplasma-tested OVCAR-8 and OVCAR-8-luc cell banks with confirmed luciferase signal.
• Integrated in vivo bioluminescence imaging workflow from baseline through terminal ex vivo analysis.
• Flexible study designs covering single agents, combinations, and resistance-overcoming strategies.
• Transparent milestone reporting with a dedicated project scientist for every engagement.
• Committed compliance with animal-ethics standards and preclinical quality expectations.

Contact Us

If you need a preclinical partner for an OVCAR-8 / OVCAR-8-luc orthotopic ovarian cancer study, we would be glad to walk you through design options and timelines. Contact us to request a customized proposal, or reach out to our team to explore how this model can strengthen your ovarian cancer research pipeline — Alfa Cytology is ready when you are.

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