We present a cost-effective method to the scratch migration assay that provides a new approach for determining cell migration without the use of equipment-intensive methods. While fibroblasts were used in this protocol, it can be adapted and utilized to study additional cell types and influences on cell migration.
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Method Article
A Cost Effective and Adaptable Scratch Migration Assay
In This Article
Summary
Abstract
Cell migration is a key component in both physiological and pathological events. Normal cell migration is required for essential functions such as development and mounting an immune response. When a defect or alteration occurs with the cell migration process, it can have detrimental outcomes (i.e., cancer metastasis, wound healing, and scar formation). Due to the importance of cell migration, it is necessary to have access to a cell migration assay that is affordable, adaptable, and repeatable. Utilizing the common scratch migration assay, we have developed a new approach to analyzing cell migration that uses general laboratory equipment. The method described uses visual markers that allow for recapturing specific areas of interest without the use of time-lapse microscopy. In addition, it provides flexibility in the experimental design, ranging from altering the migration matrix substrate to the addition of pharmacological modifiers. Furthermore, this protocol outlines a way to account for the area of cell migration, which is not considered by several methods when examining cell migration. This new approach offers a scratch migration assay to a larger audience and will provide greater opportunity for researchers to examine the physiological and pathophysiological impact of cell migration.
Introduction
Cell migration is crucial for many physiological as well as pathological events. It is required during development, for mounting an immune response, and for proper wound healing1,2,3. Many of these cell migration events can be triggered by physical or chemical signals. For example, during an immune response, leukocytes will migrate towards a site of injury in response to a chemoattractant2. Additionally, leukocytes will also release cytokines to induce migration of additional immune cells, as well as other cell types, such as fibroblasts, which are inv....
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Protocol
1. General cell culture
- Culture cardiac fibroblasts in Dulbecco’s Modified Eagles Medium (DMEM) containing 1 g/L glucose, sodium pyruvate, L-glutamine, and supplemented with 14.2 mM NaHCO3, 14.9 mM HEPES, 15% heat-inactivated fetal bovine serum (FBS), 2% L-glutamine, and 0.02% antimicrobial reagent (see Table of Materials) and maintained in CO2 incubator at 37 °C.
- Culture cardiac fibroblasts until 90-95% confluency is reached at passage 0 (P0). At this point the fibroblasts are ready to be split into a 48-well plate, which is used for the migration assay.
2. Prepar....
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Results
This procedure documents a new approach to studying cell migration that is both cost-effective and easily adaptable for most labs. Many studies have used time-lapse microscopy to assess cell migration, but the equipment required for this method is not readily available to many laboratories. Whereas utilizing lines and dashes for demarcation allows for the ability to recapture specific areas of interest at different time points without the use of expensive equipment (Figure 1 &
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Discussion
This new approach to the scratch migration assay provides a more accessible method for researchers to examine changes in cell migration. While this assay follows the same procedure for administering a scratch similar to other scratch assays, it does provide a new method for imaging and accurate analysis of cell migration10. Instead of using equipment-intensive methods of time-lapse microscopy and live cell imaging chambers, this method details the use of commonly available lab equipment. Utilizing.......
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Disclosures
The authors have nothing to disclose.
Acknowledgements
This work is supported by the US Army Medical Research Award #81XWH-16-1-0710, University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy and the Department of BioMolecular Sciences.
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Materials
| Name | Company | Catalog Number | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe All Apps | Adobe | This includes Adobe photoshop which is the imaging software used with this protocol | |
| Avant Pipette Tips 200ul Binding non-sterile | MIDSCI | AVR1 | Tips are autoclaved to sterilize |
| AxioCam Erc 5s Camera | Zeiss | 426540-9901-000 | |
| Coomassie Brilliant Blue R-250 | Fisher Scientific | BP101-25 | |
| Costar Flat Bottom Cell Culture Plates 48 Wells | Fisher Scientific | 07-200-86 | |
| DMEM with L-Glutamine, 1g/L glucose and sodium pyruvate | Fisher Scientific | MT10014CM | |
| Image J | NIH | This is a free software offered by the US government and is the analysis software used with this protocol | |
| Paraformaldehyde | Fisher Scientific | AC416785000 | |
| Premium US origin fetal bovine serum | Innovative Research | IFBS-HU | |
| Primocin | InvivoGEN | ant-pm-2 | This is the anitmicrobial used for with this procotol to culture cardiac fibroblasts |
| Zeiss Primovert Microscope | Zeiss | 491206-0002-000 | |
| Zen Blue Edition 2.3 software | Zeiss | software comes with camera purchase |
References
- Gilbert, S. F. Developmental biology. , Sinauer Associates, Incorporated. (1997).
- Luster, A. D., Alon, R., Von Andrian, U. H. Immune cell migration in inflammation: present and future therapeutic targets. Nature Immunology. 6, (2005).
- Yahata, Y., et al.
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