Adaptation of the Boyden chamber to flow conditions: rheological effects on chemotaxis

Although standard Boyden chambers assess chemotaxis under static fluid conditions they are routinely used as an experimental system to model the dynamic events associated with leukocyte extravasation in vivo. We have adapted the Boyden chamber system by incorporating it within the confines of a cone and plate viscometer which can then be employed to generate known shear conditions as the chemotactically responding cells migrate. Our results show that random locomotion of rat peritoneal exudate cells is stimulated under shear conditions within the range of 11.25-90/s relative to that under static conditions. Furthermore, chemotaxis to the synthetic tripeptide F-Met-Leu-Phe (FMLP) is also stimulated under shear conditions with the peak effect occurring near 22.5/s. This adaptation of the standard chamber system to allow the study of chemotaxis under flow conditions may provide further insight on the migratory properties of leukocytes in vivo.