3D inverted colloidal crystals in realistic cell migration assays for drug screening applications

Screening drugs for their specific impact on cell mechanics, in addition to targeting adhesion and proteolysis, will be important for successfully moderating migration in infiltrative disorders including cancer metastasis. We present 3D inverted colloidal crystals made of hydrogel as a realistic cell migration assay, where the geometry and stiffness can be set independently to mimic the tissue requirements in question. We show the utility of this 3D assay for drug screening purposes, specifically in contrast to conventional 2D migration studies, by surveying the effects of commonly used cytoskeletal toxins that impact cell mechanics. This assay allows studying large cell numbers for good statistics but at single-cell resolution.