Automated Cell Migration System to Boost Drug Development Efforts

An add-on module for an integrated microscope/incubator system has recently been introduced into the market that makes it practical to study all aspects of cell migration and especially how it is affected by candidate drug compounds.

Cell migration is a multistep process that is a fundamental component of many important biological and pathological processes such as embryonic development, tissue reorganization, angiogenesis, immune cell trafficking, chronic inflammation, and tumor metastasis. Cell migration is initiated by a stimulus that activates a set of signaling pathways leading to cellular polarization and a rapid reorganization of actin filaments and microtubules.

Cells advance by protruding their membrane at their leading cell border, which is followed by dynamic substrate adhesion via integrin adherence to the substrate. Membrane retraction at the lagging cell edge finishes the cycle, which is then repeated in rapid succession. The migration process is terminated when the stimulus to migrate is extinguished. In general, cell migration assays are well suited for both drug discovery and pathway analysis because they are rapid, reproducible, and can be adapted for use with many different cell types

Essen BioScience Inc. (Ann Arbor, MI, USA) recently released its CellPlayer Cell Migration 96-well assay kit as an add-on to its IncuCyte Live-Cell Imaging System. IncuCyte is a compact automated microscope that resides inside a standard tissue culture incubator.

The CellPlayer Cell Migration 96-well assay offers a precise and reproducible label-free method for monitoring the key biological processes involved in cell migration. This kinetic assay features automated data collection over a period of hours or days and generates data sets that are optimal for studying pharmacological agents and gene silencing technologies for this important function. Software built-in to IncuCyte automates the data collection process and provides the subsequent analysis for the cell migration assay.

Researchers not wishing to purchase a cell migration monitoring system can have samples evaluated by Essen's in-house service laboratory.

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Essen BioScience Inc.