Fig. 1

Robust implantation and growth of NSCLC PDX models in zebrafish larvae. A Cartoon illustrating the tissue handling, implantation and visualization of tissue fragments or cell suspensions from mouse PDX material into zebrafish larvae. B Representative fluorescent micrographs of DiI-labeled xenografts (shown in red) generated from cell suspensions (top row) or tissue fragments (lower row), imaged immediately and three days after implantation (left and right columns respectively). C Quantifications of changes in tumor size (rel. size) between day three and zero for three separate models (M16, M5 and M3) that were implanted either as fragments or as cell suspensions in separate cohorts of zebrafish larvae. n = 18, 15, 8 larvae in the cell suspension groups and 17, 18, 14 larvae in the fragments groups respectively. *** = p < 0.001. D Quantifications of changes in tumor size (rel. size) between day three and zero for the 25 models that was implantable in the zebrafish larvae. Average size-change was 64% for all models combined. n = 12–33. E,F Quantification of changes in tumor size (rel. size) between day three and zero plotted against the viability (E) or number of cells extracted from the fragments (F). P > 0.05. G Quantification of changes in tumor size (rel. size) between day three and zero for 11 models run at two different times. Red line indicates the average of the 11 models. NS: non-significant. H-J: Quantifications of changes in tumor size (rel. size) in zebrafish larvae between day three and zero plotted against the tumor doubling time (H), take rate (I) or stromal content (J) when growing subcutaneously in mice. P > 0.05