Murine models of metastatic neoplasia to the central nervous system.

Reliable animal models of metastatic disease to the central nervous system (CNS) are a necessary prerequisite to understanding those mechanisms of development and growth of neoplasia which may be unique to the brain. The ideal model, which should mimic the clinical picture of CNS metastasis in humans, has yet to be developed. Available models contain some degree of artificiality in that they depend upon either arterial inoculation of a tumor cell bolus or intravenous injection of a bolus of cells from a selected tumor cell colony which shows preference for the brain. Applications as well as advantages and disadvantages of the various models are considered.