Cell Migration in Microfluidic Devices: Invadosomes Formation in Confined Environments.

Cell Migration in Microfluidic Devices: Invadosomes Formation in Confined Environments. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2019;1146:79-103 Authors: Chi PY, Spuul P, Tseng FG, Genot E, Chou CF, Taloni A Abstract The last 20 years have seen the blooming of microfluidics technologies applied to biological sciences. Microfluidics provides effective tools for biological analysis, allowing the experimentalists to extend their playground to single cells and single molecules, with high throughput and resolution which were inconceivable few decades ago. In particular, microfluidic devices are profoundly changing the conventional way of studying the cell motility and cell migratory dynamics. In this chapter we will furnish a comprehensive view of the advancements made in the research domain of confinement-induced cell migration, thanks to the use of microfluidic devices. The chapter is subdivided in three parts. Each section will be addressing one of the fundamental questions that the microfluidic technology is contributing to unravel: (i) where cell migration takes place, (ii) why cells migrate and, (iii) how the cells migrate. The first introductory part is devoted to a thumbnail, and partially historical, description of microfluidics and its impact in biological sciences. Stress will be put on two aspects of the devices fabrication process, which are crucial for biological applications: materials used and coating methods. The second paragraph concerns the...
Source: Physics in Medicine and Biology - Category: Physics Authors: Tags: Adv Exp Med Biol Source Type: research