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Microfabricated Systems and Assays for Studying the Cytoskeletal Organization, Micromechanics, and Motility Patterns of Cancerous Cells

Year: 2014
Type: article
Abstract: Cell motions are driven by coordinated actions of the intracellular cytoskeleton – actin, microtubules (MTs) and substrate/focal adhesions (FAs). This coordination is altered in metastatic cancer cells resulting in deregulated and increased cellular motility. Microfabrication tools, including photolithography, micromolding, microcontact printing, wet stamping and microfluidic devices have emerged as a powerful set of experimental tools with which to probe and define the differences in cytoskeleton organization/dynamics and cell motility patterns in non‐metastatic and metastatic cancer cells. In this review, we discuss four categories of microfabricated systems: (i) micropatterned substrates for studying of cell motility sub‐processes (for example, MT targeting of FAs or cell polarization); (ii) systems for studying cell mechanical properties, (iii) systems for probing overall cell motility patterns within challenging geometric confines relevant to metastasis (for example, linear and ratchet geometries), and (iv) microfluidic devices that incorporate co‐cultures of multiple cell types and chemical gradients to mimic in vivo intravasation/extravasation steps of metastasis. Together, these systems allow for creating controlled microenvironments that not only mimic complex soft tissues, but are also compatible with live cell high‐resolution imaging and quantitative analysis of single cell behavior.
DOI: 10.1002/admi.201400158
Authors: Sabil Huda, Didzis Pilans, Monika Makurath, Thomas M. Hermans, Kristiana Kandere‐Grzybowska, Bartosz A. Grzybowski
Language: English
Subfield: Cell Biology
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2039788660
FWCI: 0.498
Cites: 276
Cited by: 7
Related to: 10