title: Development path and current status of the NANIVID: a new device for cancer cell studies.
abstract: Cancer cells create a unique microenvironmentin vivothat enables migration to distant organs. To better understand the tumor micro-environment, special tools and devices are required to monitor the interactions between different cell types and the effects of particular chemical gradients. Our study presents the design and optimization of a versatile chemotaxis device, the nano-intravital device (NANIVID), which consists of etched and bonded glass substrates that create a soluble factor reservoir. The device contains a customized hydrogel blend that is loaded with epidermal growth factor (EGF), which diffuses from the outlet to create a chemotactic gradient that can be sustained for many hours in order to attract specific cells to the device. A microelectrode array is under development for quantification of cell collection and will be incorporated into future device generations. Additionally, the NANIVID can be modified to generate gradients of other soluble factors in order to initiate controlled changes to the microenvironment including the induction of hypoxia, manipulation of extracellular matrix stiffness, etc. The focus of the article is to present the design and optimization of the device towards wide ranging applications of cancer cell dynamicsin vitroand, ultimately, implantation forin vivoinvestigations.
authors.affiliation: Tufts University Department of Biomedical Engineering 4 Colby Street Medford, Massachusetts 02155.
authors.forename: Waseem Khan
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Raja
authors.affiliation: University at Albany College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering 257 Fuller Road Albany, New York 12203 MPadgen@albany.edu.
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Padgen
authors.affiliation: University at Albany College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering 257 Fuller Road Albany, New York 12203 MPadgen@albany.edu.
authors.forename: James K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research 77 Massachusetts Ave Building E18-215 Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139-4307.
authors.forename: Frank B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Gertler
authors.affiliation: Yeshiva University Albert Einstein College of Medicine Gruss Lipper Biophotonics Center 1300 Morris Park Ave Bronx, New York 10461.
authors.forename: Jeffrey B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Wyckoff
authors.affiliation: Yeshiva University Albert Einstein College of Medicine Gruss Lipper Biophotonics Center 1300 Morris Park Ave Bronx, New York 10461.
authors.forename: John S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Condeelis
authors.affiliation: University at Albany College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering 257 Fuller Road Albany, New York 12203.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Castracane
keywords: 3-D culture; cancer cell migration; hypoxia; impedance spectroscopy; microfabrication