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Chemotaxis and Direction of Cell Migration01:21

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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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Blebs are a type of membrane protrusion formed by the internal hydrostatic pressure of the cytoplasm. Blebs are observed in several cell types, including fibroblasts, immune cells, and single-celled organisms like the amoeba. The primary function of blebs is cell locomotion and apoptosis, but they are also found during necrosis and cell division. The life cycle of a bleb comprises an initiation phase followed by the expansion and retraction phases.
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Analysis of Motility Patterns of Stentor During and After Oral Apparatus Regeneration Using Cell Tracking
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Tracking Single Cells Motility on Different Substrates.

Pooja Sharma1, Van K Lam2, Christopher B Raub2

  • 1Department of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC 20064, USA.

Methods and Protocols
|August 8, 2020
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This study presents a cost-effective method for tracking single-cell motility on various substrates. The accessible technique aids in understanding cell migration for biological processes and disease research.

Keywords:
ImageJcollagen extracellular matrixlive cell trackingsingle cell motilitysubstrate stiffnesswrMTrck plugin

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Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Biophysics
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • Cell motility is crucial for physiological processes like development, regeneration, and metastasis.
  • Existing single-cell motility assays can be costly and technically challenging.
  • Understanding cell migration dynamics is vital for biological and medical research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe an accessible, cost-effective method for tracking random cell motility at the single-cell level.
  • To evaluate cell migration on diverse substrates, including varying stiffness and composition.
  • To provide a simple setup for studying cell motility dynamics.

Main Methods:

  • Live cell imaging using The CytoSMART™ System.
  • Tracking MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells on glass, polystyrene, and collagen hydrogels.
  • Quantifying average cell migration speed with ImageJ and the wrMTrck plugin.

Main Results:

  • Demonstrated a method for tracking single-cell motility on substrates with tunable properties.
  • Successfully assessed cell migration speed on different materials and collagen microstructures.
  • Validated a cost-effective and user-friendly approach for cell motility analysis.

Conclusions:

  • The developed method offers an accessible and affordable way to study single-cell motility.
  • This technique facilitates research on cell migration across various substrates and conditions.
  • The approach supports investigations into biological processes influenced by cell movement, including cancer metastasis.