A programmable platform for probing cell migration and proliferation

Area of Science:

• * Biomedical Engineering
• * Cell Biology
• * Robotics in Research

Background:

• * Advanced robotic platforms and workflow automation are transforming biological research.
• * Existing methods for studying cell behavior, like manual scratch assays, often lack precision and reproducibility.
• * There is a need for automated, adaptable systems to analyze cellular dynamics in vitro.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To present an automated and modular workflow for exploring cell behavior in 2D culture systems.
• * To demonstrate the integration of robotic platforms and workflow automation with live-cell microscopy for cell migration and proliferation assays.
• * To offer a precise, reproducible, and adaptable alternative to traditional manual assays.

Main Methods:

• * Integration of the BioAssemblyBot (BAB) robotic platform and BioApps workflow automater.
• * Utilization of live-cell fluorescence microscopy for real-time monitoring.
• * Creation of customizable cell-free zones (CFZs) using BAB's 3D-Bioprinting tool.
• * In-house image processing and single-cell tracking pipeline for data analysis.

Main Results:

• * Achieved precise and reproducible creation of customizable CFZs.
• * Enabled hands-free, schedulable integration with live-cell monitoring systems.
• * Demonstrated superior reproducibility, adaptability, and precision compared to manual scratch assays.
• * Facilitated increased flexibility in wound geometry and parallel analysis of multiple experimental conditions.

Conclusions:

• * The developed robotics-assisted workflow significantly enhances the study of cell migration and proliferation.
• * Automation provides greater flexibility in experimental design and enables high-throughput analysis.
• * The system's scalability, versatility, and experimental control make it a valuable tool for diverse research applications.