Maintenance of the EHS sarcoma and Matrigel preparation

Matrigel is a reconstituted basement membrane extract which is rich in laminin, growth factors, entactin/nidogen, type IV collagen, and heparan sulfate proteoglycan (perlecan). This basement membrane extract can be used for promotion and maintenance of a differentiated phenotype in cell cultures, as well as for a variety of in vitro and in vivo uses. The Engelbreth-Holm-Swarm (EHS) sarcoma is a rich source of both individual basement membrane components and Matrigel. Maintenance of the EHS tumor in mice and its subsequent harvesting for the preparation of Matrigel are described.