title: On-chip cell migration assay using microfluidic channels.
abstract: Cell migration plays a crucial role in various biological processes including embryogenesis, wound healing, immune response, and tissue development. Conventional cell migration assays for screening of chemo-attractants or -repellants are initiated by physical scraping of a portion of confluent cells on normal culture surfaces. However, this protocol requires both a large number of cells and an increased amount of reagents. Additionally, these methods are not suitable for scaling-up for high-throughput screening. Here, we show an on-chip cell migration assay utilizing microfluidic channels. Laminar flow of trypsin solution in microfluidic channels achieved well-controlled cell detachment of a portion of confluent cell monolayers, which could effectively pattern wound edges to mimic biological wounding in vivo. Trypsin laminar flow in precisely fabricated microfluidic devices enables accurate and reliable cell migration assay with limited amounts of reagents to either promote or inhibit cell migration.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Advanced Biomedical Engineering and Science, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo 162-8666, Japan.
authors.forename: Fu-Qiang
authors.initials: FQ
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.forename: Masumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamato
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
authors.forename: Teruo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D008859:Microscopy, Polarization / Q000379:methods*; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D014357:Trypsin / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D014357:Trypsin