Nanotopography guides and directs cell migration in amoeboid and epithelial cells

ORAL

Abstract

Cell migration plays a critical role in development, angiogenesis, immune response, wound healing, and cancer metastasis. In many cases, cells also move in the context of a matrix of collagen fibers, and the alignment of these fibers can both affect the migration phenotype and guide cells. Here we show that both fast and slow migrating cells -- amoeboid HL-60 and epithelial MCF10A -- are affected in similar ways by micro/nanostructures with dimensions similar to those of collagen fibers. Cell alignment enhances the efficiency of migration by increasing directional persistence.

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Authors

  • Rachel Lee

    • Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park

  • Satarupa Das

    • Institute for Physical Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park

  • Matthew Hourwitz

    • Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland

  • Xiaoyu Sun

    • Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland

  • Carole Parent

    • Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute

  • John Fourkas

    • Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland

  • Wolfgang Losert

    • Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park