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Related Concept Videos

Cell Size01:22

Cell Size

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Cell sizes vary widely among and within organisms. Bacterial cells range between 1-10 micrometers (μm)and are considerably smaller than most eukaryotic cells. The smallest bacteria are 0.1 μm in diameter—about a thousand times smaller than eukaryotic cells, which typically range from 10-100 μm.
Surface Area
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Cell Migration01:19

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Cell migration is a process by which the cells move from one location to another, playing an essential role in embryological development, repair and regeneration, immune response, and metastasis. Cells migrate in response to chemical or mechanical signals generated by specific organs or tissues. The overall mechanism includes three steps - polarization, protrusion, and release. Polarization involves the formation of a distinct cell front and rear, which determines the direction of movement.
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Invadosome is a broad category of cell surface structures with proteolytic activity that  degrades the extracellular matrix (ECM). Invadosomes are present in normal cell types, including macrophages, endothelial cells, and neurons, as well as tumor cells. Although the macrophage podosomes and tumor cell invadopodia are classified as invadosomes, they have different structures, molecular pathways, and functions. Podosomes are short structures that last for a few minutes. However,...
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Cells can detect chemical cues in their environment and reorganize the cytoskeleton to migrate toward them or away from them. This directional migration, called chemotaxis, is essential during embryogenesis and development, immune response, tissue repair and regeneration, and reproduction. These chemical cues can either attract or repel the cell's movement. For example, axon development is determined by a combination of chemoattractants and chemorepellents that direct the growing axon...
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Fabrication of Micro-tissues using Modules of Collagen Gel Containing Cells
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Fabrication of Micro-tissues using Modules of Collagen Gel Containing Cells

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Microtissue size and cell-cell communication modulate cell migration in arrayed 3D collagen gels.

Jacob A M Nuhn1, Shenmin Gong2, Xiangchen Che2

  • 1Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Iowa State University, 2114 Sweeney Hall, Ames, IA, 50011-2230, USA.

Biomedical Microdevices
|August 1, 2018
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Summary

Microfluidic droplet devices create 3D microtissues that mimic physiological cell densities, enhancing cell spreading, division, and migration for studying cell-ECM and cell-cell communication in breast cancer.

Keywords:
AutocrineCell-cell communicationMotilityParacrineSoft-stiff interfacesStiffness

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Concentric Gel System to Study the Biophysical Role of Matrix Microenvironment on 3D Cell Migration
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Concentric Gel System to Study the Biophysical Role of Matrix Microenvironment on 3D Cell Migration

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Area of Science:

  • Biotechnology
  • Cell Biology
  • Biomaterials

Background:

  • Cell communication via extracellular matrix (ECM) is crucial for physiological and pathological processes, especially cell migration.
  • Traditional cell culture systems use large volumes, leading to low cell densities that dilute communication factors and hinder study.
  • Existing systems lack the ability to isolate single cells or small cell groups for controlled experiments.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and validate a microfluidic droplet device for fabricating 3D collagen-based microtissues.
  • To investigate breast cancer cell (MDA-MB-231) motility within these engineered microenvironments.
  • To explore the impact of cell density, collagen concentration, and environmental interfaces on cell migration and communication.

Main Methods:

  • Fabrication of 3D collagen-based microtissues using a microfluidic droplet device.
  • Culturing MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells within microtissues of varying chamber dimensions and collagen densities.
  • Quantifying cell spreading, division, and migration patterns in response to different experimental conditions.

Main Results:

  • Microfluidic devices with larger chambers promoted cell spreading, division, and faster migration compared to small, thin chambers.
  • Increased collagen density reduced cell migration, while increased cell density per chamber enhanced migration speed.
  • Cells exhibited directed migration towards the ECM-chamber interface (within ~150 μm) and showed increased migration speed variability away from cell cluster centers.

Conclusions:

  • Microfluidic droplet devices effectively create 3D microtissues that support physiological cell behaviors, including spreading, division, and migration.
  • These devices offer a novel platform for studying cell migration and cell-cell communication at physiologically relevant cell densities.
  • The findings highlight the importance of microenvironment geometry and cell density in regulating cell motility and interactions.