The authors thank Mike Myles, Sam Saunders, and C.W. Elton at the ECU Multimedia &amp; Technology Services for providing assistance in video production. We acknowledge the grant support from North Carolina Biotechnology Center, Golfers against Cancer, Brody Brothers Endowment Fund, American Heart Association, and ECU/Vidant Cancer Research and Education Fund (L.V.Y. and M.J.R.).

1.&#160;Cell Culture Wound Closure Assay
<ol>
	<li>Detach cells from the tissue culture plate using 0.25% Trypsin-EDTA solution. Pellet cells in a 15 ml conical tube by centrifugation, aspirate the supernatant, and re-suspend cells in culture media. Plate the appropriate number of cells in a 6-well plate for 100% confluence in 24 hours. 
	Note: Tests may be needed to determine the time and number of cells to achieve 100% confluence due to the cell type and the size of the well being used (for example, 1 x 106 B16F10 melanoma cells are seeded in a well of a 6-well plate 24 hours prior to the wound generation). Alternatively, 12-well or 24-well plates may be used. 
	Note: If available, cells can be seeded into a Culture-Insert (from ibidi LLC) on a treated tissue culture plate making the wound pre-casted. A Culture-Insert can protect the surface of the tissue culture plate from damage by the pipette tip. If a Culture-Insert is used omit step 1.2.</li>
	<li>In a sterile environment (typically a biosafety hood) use a 200 &#956;l pipette tip to press firmly against the top of the tissue culture plate and swiftly make a vertical wound down through the cell monolayer. A different sized pipette tip may be used to make the wound size that is desired. Do not use excessive force against the tissue culture plate with the pipette tip as it may damage the surface. If the wound is pre-casted, this step may be omitted.</li>
	<li>Carefully aspirate the media and cell debris. Slowly add enough culture media against the well wall to cover the bottom of the well and avoid detaching additional cells. Following the generation and inspection of the wound an initial picture should be taken. Place the tissue culture plate in an incubator set at the appropriate temperature and CO2 concentration (typically 37 &#176;C and 5% CO2).</li>
	<li>At several time points, e.g. every 3 hours, remove the plate from the incubator and place it under an inverted microscope to take a snapshot picture and to check for wound closure. If time-lapse microscopy is available, take a photo every X number of minutes (typically starting with every 5 minutes) for any time duration in a temperature and CO2 controlled chamber. Depending on the cell type, wound closure time may vary.</li>
	<li>To analyze the results of snapshot pictures, measure the distance of one side of the wound to the other using a scale bar. Analyze and clearly present wound closure over time using a scatter plot or bar graph, e.g. Figure 1.</li>
	<li>To analyze the time-lapse pictures, import the pictures into the ImageJ software(freely available at http://rsb.info.nih.gov/ij/) to make a video. To do this open ImageJ, click File, Import, and Image Sequence. Find the file with pictures; click the first photo in the file. Save video by selecting File, Save as, and AVI. Single migrating cells may be observed to characterize directional movement. Furthermore, morphological characteristics such as lamellipodia formation and trailing edge retraction may be studied as well (Figure 2 and supplementary video).</li>
</ol>
2.&#160;Transwell Cell Migration and Invasion Assay
<ol>
	<li>In a sterile environment (typically a biosafety hood) detach cells from the tissue culture plate using a non-enzymatic cell disassociation buffer or 0.25% Trypsin-EDTA solution, pellet cells by centrifugation, and aspirate the existing media leaving the pelleted cells. Re-suspend cells in serum free cell culture media containing 0.1% BSA (bovine serum albumin). 
	Note: Depending on the cell line being investigated 0.25% Trypsin-EDTA may affect cell migration and invasion due to the cleavage of various receptors on the cell surface17. 
	Note: The number of cells per ml depends on the size of the cells. Further tests may be needed to find a seeding density that provides the best results. Typically 1 x 106 cells/ml is a good starting point for most cell types when using the 24-well transwell insert. There is a range of transwell insert sizes and the number of cells added should be adjusted for accordingly.</li>
	<li>Plate 100 &#956;l of cell solution on top of the filter membrane in a transwell insert and incubate for 10 minutes at 37 &#176;C and 5% CO2 to allow the cells to settle down. 
	Note: The particular pore size of the transwell membrane used is dependent on the individual size of the cells in the sample. For example, if the cells are too small they may pass through the pores without the need to facilitate migration or if they are too large they may not fit through the pores. There are several transwell inserts with pore sizes that range from 3 &#181;m, 5 &#181;m, and 8 &#181;m for cell migration assays. The transwell inserts are commercially available from companies such as Corning. 
	Note: The transwell migration assay can be easily modified to perform the cell invasion assay. To do this, add extracellular matrix (ECM) materials on top of the transwell membrane and then add cells on top of the ECM. For example, Matrigel is thawed and liquefied on ice, and then 30-50 &#181;l of Matrigel is added to a 24-well transwell insert and solidified in a 37&#160;&#176;C incubator for 15-30 minutes to form a thin gel layer. Cell solution is added on top of the Matrigel coating to simulate invasion through the extracellular matrix. 
	Note: There are distinct differences between the transwell cell migration and the transwell cell invasion assays. The transwell cell migration assay measures the chemotactic capability of cells toward a chemo-attractant. The transwell cell invasion assay, however, measures both cell chemotaxis and the invasion of cells through extracellular matrix, a process that is commonly found in cancer metastasis or embryonic development.</li>
	<li>Using a pipette, very carefully add 600 &#956;l of the desired chemo-attractant into the bottom of the lower chamber in a 24-well plate. Add the chemo-attractant without moving the transwell insert and avoid generating bubbles. Make sure the chemo-attractant liquid in the bottom well makes contact with the membrane in the upper well to form a chemotactic gradient. Incubation time is dependent on cell type and the chemo-attractant being used. 
	Note: Further tests may be needed to determine the incubation period. 
	Note: For adherent cells, the migrated cells will attach to the other side of the membrane1,8. The quantification of migrated cells can be performed following steps 2.4 to 2.8 (steps 2.4-2.8 do not need to be performed in a sterile environment). For non-adherent cells, the migrated cells will drop into the media in the lower chamber. The number of migrated cells can be counted by using hemocytometer or flow cytometer5.</li>
	<li>Remove the transwell insert from the plate. Use a cotton-tipped applicator as many times as needed to carefully remove the media and remaining cells that have not migrated from the top of the membrane without damaging it.</li>
	<li>Add 600-1,000 &#956;l of 70% ethanol into a well of a 24-well plate. Place the transwell insert into the 70% ethanol for 10 minutes to allow cell fixation. Remove transwell insert from the 24-well plate and use a cotton-tipped applicator to remove the remaining ethanol from the top of the membrane. Allow the transwell membrane to dry (typically 10-15 minutes).</li>
	<li>Add 600-1,000 &#956;l of 0.2% crystal violet into a well of a 24-well plate and position the membrane into it for staining. Incubate at room temperature for 5-10 minutes.</li>
	<li>Gently remove the crystal violet from the top of the membrane with a pipette tip or cotton tipped applicator. Very carefully, to avoid washing off fixed cells, dip the membrane into distilled water as many times as needed to remove the excess crystal violet. Allow the transwell membrane to dry.</li>
	<li>View underneath an inverted microscope and count the number of cells in different fields of view to get an average sum of cells that have migrated through the membrane toward the chemo-attractant and attached on the underside of the membrane (Figure 3).</li>
</ol>

<ol>
	<li>Castellone, R. D., Leffler, N. R., Dong, L., Yang, L. V. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Inhibition+of+tumor+cell+migration+and+metastasis+by+the+proton-sensing+GPR4+receptor.">Inhibition of tumor cell migration and metastasis by the proton-sensing GPR4 receptor.</a> Cancer Lett. 312 (2), 197-208 (2011).</li><li>Hall, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+cytoskeleton+and+cancer.">The cytoskeleton and cancer.</a> Cancer Metastasis Rev. 28, (2009).</li><li>Lauffenburger, D. A., Horwitz, A. F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cell+migration:+a+physically+integrated+molecular+process.">Cell migration: a physically integrated molecular process.</a> Cell. 84 (3), 359-369 (1996).</li><li>Peter, C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Migration+to+apoptotic+&amp;#34;find-me&amp;#34;+signals+is+mediated+via+the+phagocyte+receptor+G2A.">Migration to apoptotic &amp;#34;find-me&amp;#34; signals is mediated via the phagocyte receptor G2A.</a> J. Biol. Chem. 283 (9), 5296-5305 (2008).</li><li>Radu, C. G., Yang, L. V., Riedinger, M., Au, M., Witte, O. N. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=T+cell+chemotaxis+to+lysophosphatidylcholine+through+the+G2A+receptor.">T cell chemotaxis to lysophosphatidylcholine through the G2A receptor.</a> Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 101 (1), 245-250 (2004).</li><li>Buul, J. D., Hordijk, P. L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Signaling+in+leukocyte+transendothelial+migration.">Signaling in leukocyte transendothelial migration.</a> Arterioscler Thromb. Vasc. Biol. (5), 824-833 (2004).</li><li>Yang, L. V., Heng, H. H., Wan, J., Southwood, C. M., Gow, A., Li, L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Alternative+promoters+and+polyadenylation+regulate+tissue-specific+expression+of+Hemogen+isoforms+during+hematopoiesis+and+spermatogenesis.">Alternative promoters and polyadenylation regulate tissue-specific expression of Hemogen isoforms during hematopoiesis and spermatogenesis.</a> 228 (4), 606-616 (2003).</li><li>Yang, L. V., Radu, C. G., Wang, L., Riedinger, M., Witte, O. N. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Gi-independent+macrophage+chemotaxis+to+lysophosphatidylcholine+via+the+immunoregulatory+GPCR+G2A.">Gi-independent macrophage chemotaxis to lysophosphatidylcholine via the immunoregulatory GPCR G2A.</a> Blood. 105 (3), 1127-1134 (2005).</li><li>Yoshida, M., Yoshida, K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Sperm+chemotaxis+and+regulation+of+flagellar+movement+by+Ca2+.">Sperm chemotaxis and regulation of flagellar movement by Ca2+.</a> Mol. Hum. Reprod. 17 (8), 457-465 (2011).</li><li>Albini, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Tumor+and+endothelial+cell+invasion+of+basement+membranes.+The+matrigel+chemoinvasion+assay+as+a+tool+for+dissecting+molecular+mechanisms.">Tumor and endothelial cell invasion of basement membranes. The matrigel chemoinvasion assay as a tool for dissecting molecular mechanisms.</a> Pathol. Oncol. Res. 4 (3), 230-241 (1998).</li><li>Fidler, I. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Critical+determinants+of+metastasis.">Critical determinants of metastasis.</a> Semin. Cancer Biol. 12 (2), 89-96 (2002).</li><li>Steeg, P. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Tumor+metastasis:+mechanistic+insights+and+clinical+challenges.">Tumor metastasis: mechanistic insights and clinical challenges.</a> Nat. Med. 12 (8), 895-904 (2006).</li><li>Roussos, E. T., Condeelis, J. S., Patsialou, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Chemotaxis+in+cancer.">Chemotaxis in cancer.</a> Nat. Rev. Cancer. 11 (8), 573-587 (2011).</li><li>Zhang, Y., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Comparative+study+of+3D+morphology+and+functions+on+genetically+engineered+mouse+melanoma+cells.">Comparative study of 3D morphology and functions on genetically engineered mouse melanoma cells.</a> Integr. Biol. (Camb. 4 (11), 1428-1436 (2012).</li><li>Junger, W. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Purinergic+regulation+of+neutrophil+chemotaxis.">Purinergic regulation of neutrophil chemotaxis.</a> Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 65 (16), 2528-2540 (2008).</li><li>Lazennec, G., Richmond, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Chemokines+and+chemokine+receptors:+new+insights+into+cancer-related+inflammation.">Chemokines and chemokine receptors: new insights into cancer-related inflammation.</a> Trends Mol. Med. 16 (3), 133-144 (2010).</li><li>Huang, H. L., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Trypsin-induced+proteome+alteration+during+cell+subculture+in+mammalian+cells.">Trypsin-induced proteome alteration during cell subculture in mammalian cells.</a> J. Biomed. Sci. 17, (2010).</li><li>Cortesio, C. L., Boateng, L. R., Piazza, T. M., Bennin, D. A., Huttenlocher, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Calpain-mediated+proteolysis+of+paxillin+negatively+regulates+focal+adhesion+dynamics+and+cell+migration.">Calpain-mediated proteolysis of paxillin negatively regulates focal adhesion dynamics and cell migration.</a> J. Biol. Chem. 286 (12), 9998-10006 (2011).</li><li>Wehrle-Haller, B., Imhof, B. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Actin+microtubules+and+focal+adhesion+dynamics+during+cell+migration.">Actin microtubules and focal adhesion dynamics during cell migration.</a> Int. J. Biochem. Cell Biol. 35 (1), 39-50 (2003).</li></ol>

The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests.

Cell migration is an important aspect to study in cancer research and it can also be applied to developmental, immunological and wound healing studies. The cell culture wound closure assay and the transwell cell migration and invasion assays reveal detailed information of cell migratory behaviors and can be used to investigate the molecular mechanisms of cell migration1,2,10,14. Our study used these cell motility assays to determine the migration velocity and invasion capabilities of a B16F10 melanoma cell lin...

Motility is an essential feature of live cells. Cell migration is involved in the conception of life, embryonic development, immune response, and many pathological processes such as cancer metastasis and inflammation1-9. Therefore, methods to study cell migratory behavior are very useful research tools for a wide range of disciplines in biomedical sciences, biology, bioengineering, and related fields.
The study of cell migration in cancer research is of particular interest as the main cause of death in cancer patients is related to metastatic progression. In order for cancer to spread and disseminate throughout the body, cancer cells must migrate and invade through extracellular matrix (ECM), intravasate into blood circulation, attach to a distant site, and finally extravasate to form distant foci1,10-12. Various biological methods may be employed to study these events in detail. The cell culture wound-closure and the transwell migration and invasion assays are widely used in the scientific community1,10. These tests can provide the necessary data that may allow for an understanding of how well a particular cell type can spontaneously migrate or respond to a chemo-attractant and directionally migrate toward it. Several migratory phenotypes have been described. Cells may migrate in a single cell form such as seen in mesenchymal or amoeboid-like movement or by multicellular movement labeled collective migration or cell streaming13. The method of movement used in motile cells can be readily observed using the cell culture wound closure assay.
Among the numerous ways to study cell migration, the cell wound closure assay is one of the simplest. This method is useful to determine the migration ability of whole cell masses. When taken a step further it can be used to observe individual cell&#8217;s morphological characteristics during migration14. Following the analysis of the wound closure many phenotypes may be revealed. Measuring the closed distance over time when comparing to a control may reveal specific migration changes or an impaired migratory phenotype that was unknown previously. Furthermore, single cell lamellipodium formation, tail retraction, and directional movement may give clues for what may be impaired or enhanced in the cells of interest14.
The transwell migration and invasion assays may be used to analyze the ability of single cells to directionally respond to various chemo-attractants whether they are chemokines, growth factors, lipids, or nucleotides4,5,8,15,16. It may also assess differential migratory ability due to the over-expression of a receptor1,14. These assays can also be used to identify and characterize the key regulators of cell migration such as the Rho family of small GTPases2. Following these short and easily accessible tests, the mode of cell migration and the ability of a cell to invade into a 3-D matrix may also be determined.

<table><tbody><tr><td>Dulbecco&amp;rsquo;s modified Eagle medium (DMEM)</td><td>Gibco</td><td>11995-073</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Fetal bovine serum (FBS)</td><td>Gemini</td><td>100106</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Bovine serum albumin (BSA)</td><td>Sigma-Aldrich</td><td>A4503-50G</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Trypsin EDTA 0.25%</td><td>Gibco</td><td>25200-056</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Dulbecco&amp;rsquo;s phosphate buffered saline (DPBS)</td><td>Gibco</td><td>14190-250</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Crystal violet</td><td>Sigma</td><td>C0775-100G</td><td>Dissolved in water at 0.2%</td></tr><tr><td>Cell disassociation buffer</td><td>Gibco</td><td>13151-014</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Cell culture incubator</td><td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td><td></td><td>Model # 3145</td></tr><tr><td>SterilGARD biosafety hood</td><td>The Baker Company, Inc.&amp;nbsp;</td><td></td><td>Model # VBM-600</td></tr><tr><td>EVOS Fl inverted microscope</td><td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td><td></td><td>Model # AMF-4302-US</td></tr><tr><td>Tissue culture plate</td><td>Becton Dickinson</td><td>353046</td><td>Catalog number varies depending on the type of culture plate</td></tr><tr><td>Corning Transwell insert</td><td>Fisher</td><td>07-200-150</td><td>Catalog number varies depending on the pore size of the membrane</td></tr></tbody></table>

in vitro cell migration and invasion assays

Migration is a key property of live cells and critical for normal development, immune response, and disease processes such as cancer metastasis and inflammation. Methods to examine cell migration are very useful and important for a wide range of biomedical research such as cancer biology, immunology, vascular biology, cell biology and developmental biology. Here we use tumor cell migration and invasion as an example and describe two related assays to illustrate the commonly used, easily accessible methods to measure these processes. The first method is the cell culture wound closure assay in which a scratch is generated on a confluent cell monolayer. The speed of wound closure and cell migration can be quantified by taking snapshot pictures with a regular inverted microscope at several time intervals. More detailed cell migratory behavior can be documented using the time-lapse microscopy system. The second method described in this paper is the transwell cell migration and invasion assay that measures the capacity of cell motility and invasiveness toward a chemo-attractant gradient. It is our goal to describe these methods in a highly accessible manner so that the procedures can be successfully performed in research laboratories even just with basic cell biology setup.

The wound closure assay and the transwell cell migration assay presented here were performed using mouse B16F10 melanoma cells as a model system. In the wound closure assay, B16F10 cells were seeded in a 6-well tissue culture plate and grown to 100% confluence in 24 hours. A wound of approximately 700 µm wide was generated using a pipette tip and the wound closure (cell migration) was recorded using the time-lapse microscopy. Alternatively, wound closure can also be studied by taking snapshot pictures at different time ...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about In vitro Cell Migration and Invasion Assays at JoVE.com

In vitro Cell Migration and Invasion Assays

Commonly used, highly accessible methods for examining cell migration and invasion in vitro are described. The first method is the cell wound closure assay that measures cell motility. The second method is the transwell migration and invasion assay that assesses the chemotactic and invasive capacity of cells.

In vitro Cell Migration and Invasion Assays

Migration is a key property of live cells and critical for normal development, immune response, and disease processes such as cancer metastasis and ...

in-vitro-cell-migration-and-invasion-assays

Research

Education

JoVE Journal

JoVE Core

Cell Biology

Biology

Unit 1

Cell Polarization and Migration

SCIENTISTS IN ACTION

137.9K Views.  East Carolina University.  Vaak gebruikt, zijn zeer toegankelijk methoden voor de behandeling van cel migratie en invasie in vitro beschreven. De eerste methode is de cel wondsluiting assay die celmotiliteit meet. De tweede methode is de transwell migratie en invasie assay die de chemotactische en invasieve vermogen van cellen beoordeelt. 

Video: In vitro Cell Migration and Invasion Assays

Assessment of Endothelial Cell Migration After Exposure to Toxic Chemicals

Exposure to chemical substances (including alkylating chemical warfare agents like sulfur and nitrogen mustards) cause a plethora of clinical symptoms including wound healing disorder. The physiological process of wound healing is highly complex. The formation of granulation tissue is a key step in this process resulting in a preliminary wound closure and providing a network of new capillary blood vessels &#8211; either through vasculogenesis (novel formation) or angiogenesis (sprouting of existing vessels). Both vasculo- and angiogenesis require functional, directed migration of endothelial cells. Thus, investigation of early endothelial cell (EEC) migration is important to understand the pathophysiology of chemical induced wound healing disorders and to potentially identify novel strategies for therapeutic intervention.
We assessed impaired wound healing after alkylating agent exposure and tested potential candidate compounds for treatment. We used a set of techniques outlined in this protocol. A modified Boyden chamber to quantitatively investigate chemokinesis of EEC is described. Moreover, the use of the wound healing assay in combination with track analysis to qualitatively assess migration is illustrated. Finally, we demonstrate the use of the fluorescent dye TMRM for the investigation of mitochondrial membrane potential to identify underlying mechanisms of disturbed cell migration. The following protocol describes basic techniques that have been adapted for the investigation of EEC.

Investigation of early endothelial cell (EEC) migration is important to understand the pathophysiology of certain illnesses and to potentially identify novel strategies for therapeutic intervention. The following protocol describes techniques to assess cell migration that have been adapted for the investigation of EEC.

Exposure to chemical substances (including alkylating chemical warfare agents like sulfur and nitrogen mustards) cause a plethora of clinical symptoms ...

Developmental Biology

Evaluation of the Cell Invasion and Migration Process: A Comparison of the Video Microscope-based Scratch Wound Assay and the Boyden Chamber Assay

The invasion and migration abilities of tumor cells are main contributors to cancer progression and recurrence. Many studies have explored the migration and invasion abilities to understand how cancer cells disseminate, with the aim of developing new treatment strategies. Analysis of the cellular and molecular basis of these abilities has led to the characterization of cell mobility and the physicochemical properties of the cytoskeleton and cellular microenvironment. For many years, the Boyden chamber assay and the scratch wound assay have been the standard techniques to study cell invasion and migration. However, these two techniques have limitations. The Boyden chamber assay is difficult and time consuming, and the scratch wound assay has low reproducibility. Development of modern technologies, especially in microscopy, has increased the reproducibility of the scratch wound assay. Using powerful analysis systems, an &#34;in-incubator&#34; video microscope can be used to provide automatic and real-time analysis of cell migration and invasion. The aim of this paper is to report and compare the two assays used to study cell invasion and migration: the Boyden chamber assay and an optimized in vitro video microscope-based scratch wound assay.

This study reports two different methods for the analysis of cell invasion and migration: the Boyden chamber assay and the in vitro video microscope-based wound-healing assay. The protocols for these two experiments are described, and their benefits and disadvantages are compared.

The invasion and migration abilities of tumor cells are main contributors to cancer progression and recurrence. Many studies have explored the migration ...

Cancer Research

Moving Upwards: A Simple and Flexible In Vitro Three-dimensional Invasion Assay Protocol

Although 3D invasion assays have been developed, the challenge remains to study cells without affecting the integrity of their microenvironment. Traditional 3D assays such as the Boyden Chamber require that cells are displaced from the original culture location and moved to a new environment. Not only does this disrupt the cellular processes that are intrinsic to the microenvironment, but it often results in a loss of cells. These problems are especially challenging when dealing with cells that are either rare, or extremely sensitive to their microenvironment. Here, we describe the development of a 3D invasion assay that avoids both concerns. In this assay, cells are plated within a small well and an ECM matrix containing a chemoattractant is laid atop the cells. This requires no cell displacement, and allows the cells to invade upwards into the matrix. In this assay, cell invasion as well as cell morphology can be assessed within the collagen gel. Using this assay, we characterize the invasive capacity of rare and sensitive cells; the hybrid cells resulting from fusion between breast cancer cells MCF7 and mesenchymal/multipotent stem/stroma cells (MSCs).

Moving Upwards: A Simple and Flexible In Vitro Three-dimensional Invasion Assay Protocol

This protocol describes an inverted vertical invasion assay that could be used to quantify the migration and invasion capabilities of cells in a three-dimensional setting while preserving the cell microenvironment. This assay is suitable for rare and/or sensitive cells.

Although 3D invasion assays have been developed, the challenge remains to study cells without affecting the integrity of their microenvironment. ...

Live-Cell Imaging Assays to Study Glioblastoma Brain Tumor Stem Cell Migration and Invasion

Glioblastoma (GBM) is an aggressive brain tumor that is poorly controlled with the currently available treatment options. Key features of GBMs include rapid proliferation and pervasive invasion into the normal brain. Recurrence is thought to result from the presence of radio- and chemo-resistant brain tumor stem cells (BTSCs) that invade away from the initial cancerous mass and, thus, evade surgical resection. Hence, therapies that target BTSCs and their invasive abilities may improve the otherwise poor prognosis of this disease. Our group and others have successfully established and characterized BTSC cultures from GBM patient samples. These BTSC cultures demonstrate fundamental cancer stem cell properties such as clonogenic self-renewal, multi-lineage differentiation, and tumor initiation in immune-deficient mice. In order to improve on the current therapeutic approaches for GBM, a better understanding of the mechanisms of BTSC migration and invasion is necessary. In GBM, the study of migration and invasion is restricted, in part, due to the limitations of existing techniques which do not fully account for the in vitro growth characteristics of BTSCs grown as neurospheres. Here, we describe rapid and quantitative live-cell imaging assays to study both the migration and invasion properties of BTSCs. The first method described is the BTSC migration assay which measures the migration toward a chemoattractant gradient. The second method described is the BTSC invasion assay which images and quantifies a cellular invasion from neurospheres into a matrix. The assays described here are used for the quantification of BTSC migration and invasion over time and under different treatment conditions.

Here, we describe live-cell imaging techniques to quantitatively measure the migration and invasion of glioblastoma brain tumor stem cells over time and under multiple treatment conditions.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is an aggressive brain tumor that is poorly controlled with the currently available treatment options. Key features of GBMs include ...

A Simple Migration/Invasion Workflow Using an Automated Live-cell Imager

Cancer cell mobility is crucial for the initiation of metastasis. Therefore, investigation of the cell movement and invasive capacity is of great significance. Migration assays provide basic insight of cell movement at a 2D level, whereas invasion assays are more physiologically relevant, mimicking in vivo cancer cell dislodgment from the original site and invading through the extracellular matrix. The current protocol provides a single workflow for migration and invasion assays. Together with the integrated automated microscopic camera for real-time HD images and built-in analysis module, it gives researchers a time-efficient, simple and reproducible experimental option. This protocol also includes substitutions for the consumables and alternative analysis methods for users to choose from.

The current protocol describes an integrated method investigating cancer cell migration and invasion on a single platform in real-time, providing an easily reproducible and time-efficient option to study cell mobility and morphology.

Cancer cell mobility is crucial for the initiation of metastasis. Therefore, investigation of the cell movement and invasive capacity is of great ...

The Use of Mouse Mammary Tumor Cells in an In Vitro Invasion Assay as a Measure of Oncogenic Cell Behavior

The in vitro invasion assay uses a protein-rich matrix in a Boyden chamber to measure the ability of cultured cells to pass through the matrix and a porous membrane in a process analogous to the initial steps of cancer cell metastasis. The tested cells can be altered for the gene expression or treated with inhibitors to test for changes in the invasion potential. This experiment tests the aggressive phenotype of the mouse mammary tumor cells to discover and characterize the potential oncogenes that promote cell invasion. This technique, however, can be versatile and adapted to many different applications. The experiment itself can be done in one day and the results are acquired by light microscopy in less than a day. The results include counts of the number of invading cells for comparison and analysis. The in vitro invasion assay is a rapid, inexpensive, and clear-cut method for determining cell behavior in a culture that can be used as an initial assessment before more involved in vivo assays.

The in vitro cell invasion assay is used to measure the potential of cancer metastasis by quantifying the cellular potential for invasion and migration using cell culture inserts containing protein matrix. Cells are challenged to migrate through the protein matrix and a porous membrane, towards a chemoattractant, and then quantified by light microscopy.

The in vitro invasion assay uses a protein-rich matrix in a Boyden chamber to measure the ability of cultured cells to pass through the matrix and a ...

Genetics

In Vitro Assays to Evaluate the Migration, Invasion, and Proliferation of Immortalized Human First-trimester Trophoblast Cell Lines

Cell movement is a critical property of trophoblasts during placental development and early pregnancy. The significance of proper trophoblast migration and invasion is demonstrated by pregnancy disorders such as pre-eclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction, which are associated with inadequate trophoblast invasion of the maternal vasculature. Unfortunately, our understanding of the mechanisms by which the placenta develops from migrating trophoblasts is limited. In vitro analysis of cell migration via the scratch assay is a useful tool in identifying factors that regulate trophoblast migratory capacity. However, this assay alone does not define the cellular changes that can result in altered cell migration. This protocol describes three different in vitro assays that are used collectively to evaluate trophoblast cell movement: the scratch assay, the invasion assay, and the proliferation assay. The protocols described here may also be modified for use in other cell lines to quantify cell movement in response to stimuli. These methods allow investigators to identify individual factors that contribute to the cell movement and provide a thorough examination of potential mechanisms underlying apparent changes in cell migration.

Here, we present a highly accessible protocol for evaluating the cell movement in human trophoblast cells using three in vitro assays: the scratch assay, the transwell invasion assay, and the cell proliferation assay.

Cell movement is a critical property of trophoblasts during placental development and early pregnancy. The significance of proper trophoblast migration ...

A Modified In vitro Invasion Assay to Determine the Potential Role of Hormones, Cytokines and/or Growth Factors in Mediating Cancer Cell Invasion

Blood serum serves as a chemoattractant towards which cancer cells migrate and invade, facilitating their intravasation into microvessels. However, the actual molecules towards which the cells migrate remain elusive. This modified invasion assay has been developed to identify targets which drive cell migration and invasion. This technique compares the invasion index under three conditions to determine whether a specific hormone, growth factor, or cytokine plays a role in mediating the invasive potential of a cancer cell. These conditions include i) normal fetal bovine serum (FBS), ii) charcoal-stripped FBS (CS-FBS), which removes hormones, growth factors, and cytokines and iii) CS-FBS + molecule (denoted &#8220;X&#8221;). A significant change in cell invasion with CS-FBS as compared to FBS, indicates the involvement of hormones, cytokines or growth factors in mediating the change. Individual molecules can then be added back to CS-FBS to assay their ability to reverse or rescue the invasion phenotype. Furthermore, two or more factors can be combined to evaluate the additive or synergistic effects of multiple molecules in driving or inhibiting invasion. Overall, this method enables the investigator to determine whether hormones, cytokines, and/or growth factors play a role in cell invasion by serving as chemoattractants or inhibitors of invasion for a particular type of cancer cell or a specific mutant. By identifying specific chemoattractants and inhibitors, this modified invasion assay may help to elucidate signaling pathways that direct cancer cell invasion.

A Modified In vitro Invasion Assay to Determine the Potential Role of Hormones, Cytokines and/or Growth Factors in Mediating Cancer Cell Invasion

This video article describes a modified in vitro method to examine the role of hormones, cytokines and/or growth factors in driving cancer cell invasion.

Blood serum serves as a chemoattractant towards which cancer cells migrate and invade, facilitating their intravasation into microvessels. However, the ...

Medicine

Real-Time Quantitative Measurement of Tumor Cell Migration and Invasion Following Synthetic mRNA Transfection

Tumor cells are highly motile and invasive and display altered gene expression patterns. Knowledge of how changes in gene expression regulate tumor cell migration and invasion is essential for understanding the mechanisms of tumor cell infiltration into neighboring healthy tissues and metastasis. Previously, it was demonstrated that gene knockdown followed by the impedance-based real-time measurement of tumor cell migration and invasion enables the identification of the genes required for tumor cell migration and invasion. Recently, the mRNA vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 have increased interest in using synthetic mRNA for therapeutic purposes. Here, the method using synthetic mRNA was revised to study the effect of gene overexpression on tumor cell migration and invasion. This study demonstrates that elevated gene expression with synthetic mRNA transfection followed by impedance-based real-time measurement may help identify the genes that stimulate tumor cell migration and invasion. This method paper provides important details on the procedures for examining the effect of altered gene expression on tumor cell migration and invasion.

Many upregulated genes stimulate tumor cell migration and invasion, leading to poor prognosis. Determining which genes regulate tumor cell migration and invasion is critical. This protocol presents a method for investigating the effects of the increased expression of a gene on the migration and invasion of tumor cells in real time.

Tumor cells are highly motile and invasive and display altered gene expression patterns. Knowledge of how changes in gene expression regulate tumor cell ...

A Novel In Vitro Wound Healing Assay to Evaluate Cell Migration

The aim of this work is to show a novel method to evaluate the ability of some immunomodulatory molecules, such as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), to stimulate cell migration. Importantly, cell migration is a rate-limiting event during the wound-healing process to re-establish the integrity and normal function of tissue layers after injury. The advantage of this method over the classical assay, which is based on a manually made scratch in a cell monolayer, is the usage of special silicone culture inserts providing two compartments to create a cell-free pseudo-wound field with a well-defined width (500 &#956;m). In addition, due to an automated image analysis platform, it is possible to rapidly obtain quantitative data on the speed of wound closure and cell migration. More precisely, the effect of two frog-skin AMPs on the migration of bronchial epithelial cells will be shown. Furthermore, pretreatment of these cells with specific inhibitors will provide information on the molecular mechanisms underlying such events.

A Novel In Vitro Wound Healing Assay to Evaluate Cell Migration

Here, we present a protocol to evaluate the effect of peptides on the migration of bronchial epithelial cells. This method allows for the rapid and highly reproducible obtainment of quantitative data on the speed of cell migration and wound closure.

The aim of this work is to show a novel method to evaluate the ability of some immunomodulatory molecules, such as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), to ...

In vitro Cell Migration and Invasion Assays

Samenvatting

Meer video's verkennen