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Chemotaxis and Direction of Cell Migration

Chemotaxis and Direction of Cell Migration

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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In vitro Cell Migration and Invasion Assays

In vitro Cell Migration and Invasion Assays

Published on: June 1, 2014

VEGF-A₁₆₅ -Induced Endothelial Cells Chemotactic Migration and Invasion Assays.

Caroline Pellet-Many¹

¹Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, UK. cpelletmany@rvc.ac.uk.

Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)

|April 22, 2022

Summary

The transwell assay, a modified Boyden chamber assay, reliably measures endothelial cell migration and chemotaxis in vitro. This convenient method uses a porous membrane to assess directional cell movement towards a chemoattractant gradient without expensive equipment.

Keywords:

Chemotaxis Endothelial cells Migration Transwell VEGF-A165

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Last Updated: Sep 26, 2025

In vitro Cell Migration and Invasion Assays

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Author Spotlight: Investigating Angiogenesis Through Challenges and Innovations in Assay Development

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Area of Science:

Cell Biology
Physiology

Background:

Endothelial cell migration is crucial for understanding angiogenesis.
Chemotaxis, the directional migration of cells, is a key process in angiogenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

To describe the transwell assay (modified Boyden chamber assay) for studying endothelial cell migration.
To highlight its utility in investigating chemotaxis.

Main Methods:

Utilizes a two-compartment system separated by a porous membrane.
A chemoattractant in the lower chamber creates a gradient for cell migration.
Cells migrating through the membrane are fixed, stained, and counted.

Main Results:

The transwell assay is a reliable and convenient method for in vitro cell migration studies.
It allows for the quantification of chemotaxis.

Conclusions:

The modified Boyden chamber assay is an effective tool for studying angiogenesis mechanisms.
This assay provides critical insights into endothelial cell behavior.