Control of Cell Geometry through Infrared Laser Assisted Micropatterning

Summary

The protocol presented here enables automated fabrication of micropatterns that standardizes cell shape to study cytoskeletal structures within mammalian cells. This user-friendly technique can be set up with commercially available imaging systems and does not require specialized equipment inaccessible to standard cell biology laboratories.

Abstract

Micropatterning is an established technique in the cell biology community used to study connections between the morphology and function of cellular compartments while circumventing complications arising from natural cell-to-cell variations. To standardize cell shape, cells are either confined in 3D molds or controlled for adhesive geometry through adhesive islands. However, traditional micropatterning techniques based on photolithography and deep UV etching heavily depend on clean rooms or specialized equipment. Here we present an infrared laser assisted micropatterning technique (microphotopatterning) modified from Doyle et al. that can be conveniently set up with commercially available imaging systems. In this protocol, we use a Nikon A1R MP+ imaging system to generate micropatterns with micron precision through an infrared (IR) laser that ablates preset regions on poly-vinyl alcohol coated coverslips. We employ a custom script to enable automated pattern fabrication with high efficiency and accuracy in systems not equipped with a hardware autofocus. We show that this IR laser assisted micropatterning (microphotopatterning) protocol results in defined patterns to which cells attach exclusively and take on the desired shape. Furthermore, data from a large number of cells can be averaged due to the standardization of cell shape. Patterns generated with this protocol, combined with high resolution imaging and quantitative analysis, can be used for relatively high throughput screens to identify molecular players mediating the link between form and function.

Introduction

Cell shape is a key determinant of fundamental biological processes such as tissue morphogenesis¹, cell migration², cell proliferation³, and gene expression⁴. Changes in cell shape are driven by an intricate balance between dynamic rearrangements of the cytoskeleton that deforms the plasma membrane and extrinsic factors such as external forces exerted on the cell and the geometry of cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesions⁵. Migrating mesenchymal cells, for instance, polymerize a dense actin network at the leading edge that pushes the plasma membrane forw....

Protocol

1. Coverslip preprocessing

1. Prepare squeaky-clean coverslips as described in Waterman-Storer, 1998²⁵.
2. Prepare 1% (3-aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane (APTMS) solution and incubate the coverslips in the solution for 10 min with gentle agitation. Make sure that coverslips move freely in the solution.
3. Wash coverslips twice with dH₂O for 5 min each.
4. Prepare 0.5% glutaraldehyde (GA) solution and incubate the coverslips in the solution for 30 min on a shaker. For 25 coverslips, use 50 mL of glutaraldehyde solution. Make sure that coverslips move freely in the solution.
5. Wash coverslips three tim....

Results

The quality of the experimental data obtained through micropatterning is largely dependent on the quality of the patterns. To determine the quality of patterns generated with the method above, we first used reflectance microscopy to assess the shape and size of the photo ablated areas of the coverslip. We found that each individual pattern looked very similar to the ablation mask and displayed clear boarders and a surface that reflected light uniformly (Figure 2B). A variety of shapes a.......

Discussion

The results above demonstrate that the described IR laser assisted micropatterning (microphotopatterning) protocol provides reproducible adherent patterns of various shapes that enables the manipulation of cell shape and cytoskeletal architecture. Although numerous micropatterning methods have been developed both prior to and after the debut of microphotopatterning, this method possesses several advantages. First, it does not require specialized equipment and cleanrooms that are usually only found within Engineering depa.......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
(3-Aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane	Aldrich	281778
10 cm Cell Culture Dish	VWR	10062-880	Polysterene, TC treated, vented
25X Apo LWD Water Dipping Objective	Nikon	MRD77225
3.5 cm Cell Culture Dish	VWR	10861-586	Polysterene, TC treated, vented
4',6-Diamidino-2-Phenylindole (DAPI)	Thermo	62248	1mg/mL dihydrochloride solution
Bovine Serine Albumin	BioShop	ALB005
Dulbecco's Phosphate-Buffered Saline	Wisent	311-425-CL
Ethanolamine	Sigma-Aldrich	E9508
Fibronectin	Sigma-Aldrich	FC010	1mg/mL in pH 7.5 buffer
Fibronectin Antibody	BD	610077	Mouse
Fiji	ImageJ		Version 1.53c
Fluorescent Phalloidin	Invitrogen	A12380	568nm
Glass Coverslip	VWR	16004-302	22 × 22 mm
Glutaraldehyde	Electron Microscopy Sciences	16220	25% aqueous solution
Hydrochloric Acid	Caledon	6025-1-29	37% aqueous solution
IR Laser	Coherent	Chameleon Vision
Minimal Essential Medium α	Gibco	12561-056
Mounting Medium	Sigma	F4680
Mouse Secondary Antibody	Cell Signaling Technology	4408S	Goat, 488nm
Multi-Photon Microscope	Nikon	A1R MP+
Myosin Light Chain Antibody	Cell Signaling Technology	3672S	Rabbit
NIS Elements	Nikon		Version 5.21.03
Nitric Acid	Caledon	7525-1-29	70% aqueous solution
Photoshop	Adobe		Version 21.2.1
Pluronic F-127	Sigma	P2443	Powder
Poly(vinyl alchohol)	Aldrich	341584	MW 89000-98000, 98% hydrolyzed
Rabbit Secondary Antibody	Cell Signaling Technology	4412S	Goat, 488nm
Shaker	VWR	10127-876	Alsoknown as analog rocker
Sodium Borohydride	Aldrich	452882	Powder
Sodium Hydroxide	Sigma-Aldrich	S8045
Sodium Phosphate Dibasic	Sigma	S5136	Powder
Sodium Phosphate Monobasic	Sigma	S5011	Powder
Spyder	Anaconda	4.1.4
Trypsin	Wisent	325-042-CL	0.05% aqueous solution with 0.53mM EDTA