Individual cell migration analysis using fiber-optic bundles.
In this paper we describe a novel optical fiber-based technology for analyzing cell migration. Cells were labeled with a membrane-bound fluorescent dye and distributed onto a polished optical fiber bundle. When a cell passes over one of the individual fibers in the bundle, the membrane-bound dye causes a large intensity increase, which stays for a given "residence time" until the cell departs from the fiber. Residence time increases significantly upon exposure to an antimigratory drug, indicating a decrease in cell migration. This approach provides a simple migration assay and does not require sophisticated tracking software. By using optical fiber bundles containing smaller individual fibers with higher spatial resolution, this approach was employed to develop a migration assay based on subcellular imaging. The subcellular imaging platform allows for rapid analysis of migratory potential, reducing experimental time from several hours in a standard assay to 5 min using this technology.
DiCesare
Christopher
C
Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, 62 Talbot Avenue, Medford, MA 02155, USA.
Biran
Israel
I
Walt
David R
DR
D002465:Cell Movement; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D055100:Optical Fibers; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence