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Updated: May 5, 2026
Analysis of Cancer Cell Invasion and Anti-metastatic Drug Screening Using Hydrogel Micro-chamber Array HMCA-based Plates
Published on: October 25, 2018
Aqueous biphasic cancer cell migration assay enables robust, high-throughput screening of anti-cancer compounds
Stephanie Lemmo1, Samila Nasrollahi, Hossein Tavana
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, USA.
Abstract:
Migration of tumor cells is a fundamental event implicated in metastatic progression of cancer. Therapeutic compounds with the ability to inhibit the motility of cancer cells are critical for preventing cancer metastasis. Achieving this goal requires new technologies that enable high-throughput drug screening against migration of cancer cells and expedite drug discovery. We report an easy-to-implement, robotically operated, cell migration microtechnology with the capability of simultaneous screening of multiple compounds. The technology utilizes a fully biocompatible polymeric aqueous two-phase system to pattern a monolayer of cells containing a cell-excluded gap that serves as the migration niche. We adapted this technology to a standard 96-well plate format and parametrically optimized it to generate highly consistent migration niches. The analysis of migration is done automatically using computerized schemes. We use statistical metrics and show the robustness of this assay for drug screening and its sensitivity to identify effects of different drug compounds on migration of cancer cells. This technology can be employed in core centers, research laboratories, and pharmaceutical industries to evaluate the efficacy of compounds against migration of various types of metastatic cancer cells prior to expensive animal tests and thus, streamline anti-migratory drug screening.
Insights
This study introduces a novel microtechnology for high-throughput screening of anti-migratory drug compounds. The robotically operated system efficiently evaluates therapeutic potential against cancer cell migration, aiding drug discovery.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Cancer Research
- Drug Discovery
Background:
- Cancer metastasis involves tumor cell migration, necessitating therapies to inhibit cancer cell motility.
- Effective drug discovery requires high-throughput screening technologies for anti-migratory compounds.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a robotically operated microtechnology for high-throughput screening of compounds inhibiting cancer cell migration.
- To adapt the technology for a 96-well plate format, ensuring consistency and enabling simultaneous screening of multiple compounds.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a biocompatible polymeric aqueous two-phase system to create cell-excluded migration niches in cell monolayers.
- Adapted the microtechnology to a 96-well plate format, optimizing parameters for consistent niche generation.
- Implemented automated computerized analysis with statistical metrics to quantify cell migration.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated the robustness and sensitivity of the microtechnology assay for drug screening.
- Successfully identified the effects of various drug compounds on cancer cell migration.
- Validated the technology's capability for evaluating anti-migratory efficacy of compounds.
Conclusions:
- The developed microtechnology streamlines anti-migratory drug screening by enabling efficient evaluation of compounds against cancer cell migration.
- This technology offers a valuable tool for research laboratories and pharmaceutical industries to assess therapeutic efficacy before in vivo testing.
- Facilitates expedited drug discovery for anti-metastatic cancer therapies.
