Single Cell Durotaxis Assay for Assessing Mechanical Control of Cellular Movement and Related Signaling EventsKathryn V. Svec 1,2,3, Johnathan B Patterson 1,2,3, Nyla Naim 1,2,3, Alan K Howe 1,2,3
1Department of Pharmacology, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, 2University of Vermont Cancer Center, 3Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine
Mechanical forces are important for controlling cell migration. This protocol demonstrates the use of elastic hydrogels that can be deformed using a glass micropipette and a micromanipulator to stimulate cells with a local stiffness gradient to elicit changes in cell structure and migration.
