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Updated: May 3, 2026
Quantifying Human Monocyte Chemotaxis In Vitro and Murine Lymphocyte Trafficking In Vivo
Published on: October 30, 2017
In vitro assays of chemotaxis as a window into mechanisms of toxicant-induced immunomodulation
Kathryn M Pietrosimone1, Sadikshya Bhandari, Michael G Lemieux
1Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut.
Abstract:
Dysregulated cell movement can lead to developmental abnormalities, neoplasia, and immune system disorders, and there are a variety of contexts in which xenobiotics (and biologic) effects on this movement are of interest. Many toxins and toxicants have been shown to disrupt controlled cell movement. Identification of compounds that affect cell movement is crucial to drug discovery. Drug components may have unexpected consequences with respect to cell motility, which would exclude these compounds in drug development. Finally, the development of drugs that target chemotactic pathways may be useful in the treatment of tumors, which often reprogram chemotactic pathways to become metastatic. The effects of these agents on cell movement can be measured using several different in vitro chemotactic assays. This review details the procedures of three in vitro measurements of chemotaxis: the Boyden chamber, the under-agarose assay, and the automated, real-time, ECIS/Taxis assay, and discusses the inferences that can be drawn from the results of such studies.
Insights
Understanding how chemicals affect cell movement is vital for drug discovery and treating diseases like cancer. This review covers key methods for measuring cell chemotaxis, aiding research into cell motility disorders.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Toxicology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Dysregulated cell movement is implicated in developmental abnormalities, cancer (neoplasia), and immune disorders.
- Xenobiotics and other agents can disrupt normal cell motility, impacting biological processes.
- Targeting cell movement pathways offers therapeutic potential for diseases, including metastatic tumors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and compare in vitro methods for measuring cell chemotaxis.
- To highlight the importance of assessing compound effects on cell motility in drug discovery.
- To discuss the application of chemotaxis assays in understanding disease mechanisms and developing treatments.
Main Methods:
- Detailed review of three established in vitro chemotaxis assays: Boyden chamber, under-agarose assay, and ECIS/Taxis assay.
- Discussion of the procedural aspects and data interpretation for each assay.
- Emphasis on the utility of automated, real-time assays like ECIS/Taxis.
Main Results:
- The reviewed assays provide quantitative data on cell migration in response to stimuli.
- Each method offers distinct advantages for studying different aspects of cell chemotaxis.
- Results from these assays are crucial for identifying compounds affecting cell movement and understanding disease pathology.
Conclusions:
- Accurate measurement of cell chemotaxis is essential for identifying potential drug candidates and understanding disease.
- The selection of an appropriate assay depends on the specific research question regarding cell motility.
- Advancements in real-time assays enhance the efficiency and accuracy of studying cell movement dynamics.
