Migration of human T cells can be differentially directed by electric fields depending on the extracellular...

T cell migration plays an essential role in the immune response and T cell-based therapies. It can be modulated by chemical and physical cues such as electric fields (EFs). The mechanisms underlying electrotaxis (cell migration manipulated by EFs) are not fully understood and systematic studies with immune cells are rare. In this in vitro study, we show that direct current EFs with strengths of physiologically occurring EFs (25-200 mV/mm) can guide the migration of primary human CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells on 2D substrates toward the anode and in a 3D environment differentially (CD4⁺ T cells show cathodal and CD8⁺ T cells show anodal electrotaxis). Overall, we find that EFs present a potent stimulus to direct T cell migration in different microenvironments in a cell-type-, substrate-, and voltage-dependent manner, while not significantly influencing T cell differentiation or viability.