title: Applications of stripe assay in the study of CXCL12-mediated neural progenitor cell migration and polarization.
abstract: The polarization and migration of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) are critical for embryonic brain development and neurogenesis after brain injury. Although stromal-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α, CXCL12) and its receptor CXCR4 are well-known to mediate the migration of NPCs in the developing brain, the dynamic cellular processes and structure-related molecular events remain elusive. Transwell and microfluidic-based assays are classical assays to effectively study cellular migration. However, both of them have limitations in the analysis of a single cell. In this study, we modified the stripe assay and extended its applications in the study of NPC polarization and intracellular molecular events associated with CXCL12-mediated migration. In response to localized CXCL12, NPCs formed lamellipodia in the stripe assay. Furthermore, CXCR4 and Rac1 quickly re-distributed to the area of lamellipodia, indicating their roles in NPC polarization upon CXCL12 stimulation. Although the chemokine stripes in the assay provided concentration gradients that can be best used to study cellular polarization and migration through immunocytochemistry, they can also generate live imaging data with comparable quality. In conclusion, stripe assay is a visual, dynamic and economical tool to study cellular mobility and its related molecule mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neuroimmunology and Regenerative Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine Affiliated Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, 200072, Shanghai, China.|Tongji University School of Medicine, 200092, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neuroimmunology and Regenerative Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine Affiliated Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, 200072, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Aihong
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neuroimmunology and Regenerative Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine Affiliated Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, 200072, Shanghai, China.|Tongji University School of Medicine, 200092, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Siqiang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neuroimmunology and Regenerative Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine Affiliated Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, 200072, Shanghai, China.|Tongji University School of Medicine, 200092, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Lisha
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neuroimmunology and Regenerative Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine Affiliated Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, 200072, Shanghai, China.|Tongji University School of Medicine, 200092, Shanghai, China.|Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neurosciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 68198-5930, Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, United States.
authors.forename: Yunlong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neuroimmunology and Regenerative Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine Affiliated Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, 200072, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neuroimmunology and Regenerative Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine Affiliated Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, 200072, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neuroimmunology and Regenerative Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine Affiliated Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, 200072, Shanghai, China.|Tongji University School of Medicine, 200092, Shanghai, China.|Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neurosciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 68198-5930, Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, United States.
authors.forename: Dongsheng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neuroimmunology and Regenerative Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine Affiliated Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, 200072, Shanghai, China.|Tongji University School of Medicine, 200092, Shanghai, China.|Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neurosciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 68198-5930, Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, United States.
authors.forename: Jialin C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects*; D016764:Cell Polarity / Q000187:drug effects*; D054377:Chemokine CXCL12 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes / Q000737:chemistry; D005453:Fluorescence; D051379:Mice; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D021381:Protein Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D054377:Chemokine CXCL12; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4
keywords: CXCL12; CXCR4; Migration; PDMS; Polarization; Stripe assay