Microfluidic cell motility assay

摘要

Certain isolated motile cells spontaneously migrate unidirectionally through a mechanically confined space, such as a microcapillary channel, in the absence of an external gradient (e.g., a chemical gradient). Assays and methods for detecting motile cells, and identifying chemical agents that inhibit cell migration, can include detecting the movement of motile cancer cells through a microcapillary channel.

主权项

1. A method to detect motility of cells, the method comprising:
isolating a cell population from a tissue sample obtained from a patient, the cell population comprising isolated cells; allowing a cell from the cell population to enter an opening in a microcapillary channel under conditions effective to permit a single cell from the cell population to enter the microcapillary channel, the microcapillary channel opening having a cross sectional area that is smaller than a maximum cell diameter of the cell from the cell population outside the microcapillary channel; and detecting the presence of a motile cell in the cell population by observing a unidirectional movement of the cell away from the opening in the microcapillary channel in the absence of a chemical gradient.