Natural killer cell migration control in microchannels by perturbations and topography

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A Novel Feeder-free System for Mass Production of Murine Natural Killer Cells In Vitro
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A Novel Feeder-free System for Mass Production of Murine Natural Killer Cells In Vitro

Published on: January 9, 2018

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Yuanhao Xu1, Stella W Pang1

  • 1Department of Electronic Engineering, Center for Biosystems, Neuroscience, and Nanotechnology, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. pang@cityu.edu.hk.

Lab on a Chip
|June 22, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Natural killer (NK) cell migration is influenced by physical cues. Microchannel topography can control NK cell movement, offering new ways to guide these immune cells for cancer therapy.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Biomaterials Science
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Natural killer (NK) cells are crucial lymphocytes for innate immunity and cancer surveillance.
  • NK cell migration, essential for targeting malignant cells, is primarily driven by chemotaxis.
  • The influence of topographical cues from the extracellular matrix (ECM) on NK cell locomotion in 3D environments remains underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically investigate the topographical effects on NK cell migration in 3D microenvironments.
  • To examine how microchannel perturbations and surface patterns influence NK cell movement with and without chemotaxis.
  • To explore the potential of contact guidance for controlling NK cell migration in bioengineering systems.

Main Methods:

  • Fabrication of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) based microfluidic platforms with varied channel perturbations and surface patterns.
  • Systematic observation and analysis of NK cell migration dynamics under different topographical conditions.
  • Integration of chemotaxis stimuli to study combined topographical and chemical guidance effects.

Main Results:

  • Microchannel perturbations induced pauses and reversals in chemotaxis-driven NK cell migration.
  • Surface topography, like gratings, provided directional preference for NK cell movement even in the absence of chemoattractants.
  • Contact guidance was demonstrated as a significant factor influencing NK cell locomotion.

Conclusions:

  • NK cell migration is significantly modulated by the physical topography of their 3D microenvironment.
  • Engineered topographical cues can control NK cell movement, presenting opportunities for in vitro bioengineering applications.
  • Findings offer insights into NK cell dynamics in complex biological tissues and potential applications in cancer immunotherapy.

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