title: Ring-Shaped Microlanes and Chemical Barriers as a Platform for Probing Single-Cell Migration.
abstract: Quantification and discrimination of pharmaceutical and disease-related effects on cell migration requires detailed characterization of single-cell motility. In this context, micropatterned substrates that constrain cells within defined geometries facilitate quantitative readout of locomotion. Here, we study quasi-one-dimensional cell migration in ring-shaped microlanes. We observe bimodal behavior in form of alternating states of directional migration (run state) and reorientation (rest state). Both states show exponential lifetime distributions with characteristic persistence times, which, together with the cell velocity in the run state, provide a set of parameters that succinctly describe cell motion. By introducing PEGylated barriers of different widths into the lane, we extend this description by quantifying the effects of abrupt changes in substrate chemistry on migrating cells. The transit probability decreases exponentially as a function of barrier width, thus specifying a characteristic penetration depth of the leading lamellipodia. Applying this fingerprint-like characterization of cell motion, we compare different cell lines, and demonstrate that the cancer drug candidate salinomycin affects transit probability and resting time, but not run time or run velocity. Hence, the presented assay allows to assess multiple migration-related parameters, permits detailed characterization of cell motility, and has potential applications in cell biology and advanced drug screening.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physics and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1, D-80539 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schreiber
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physics and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1, D-80539 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Felix J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Segerer
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Center for System-based Drug Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Butenandtstraße 5-13, Building D, 81377 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Ernst
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Center for System-based Drug Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Butenandtstraße 5-13, Building D, 81377 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roidl
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physics and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1, D-80539 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Joachim O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Rädler
mesh_terms: D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D054443:Cell Migration Assays / Q000379:methods*; D002465:Cell Movement; D006801:Humans; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry; D011554:Pseudopodia / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D011092:Polyethylene Glycols