Topographical Guidance of Highly Motile Amoeboid Cell Migration

Characterization of immune cell migration using microfabrication

“…The pillars touch both the bottom surface and the roof of the set-up (Renkawitz et al 2018). Depending on the density of the pillars, such a set-up can be used to investigate cell migration through a porous matrix, and to determine the effects of pore size and the presence of obstacles on cell migration (Wondergem et al 2020). Pillars might represent topographic stimuli that help the directed migration of immune cells, or might act as obstacles that modify the random migration of the cells (Gorelashvili et al 2014).…”

“…In the literature, the movement from both sparse obstacles to dense obstacles and vice versa has been shown to depend on the ratio between the cell diameter and the space between the pillars. Cells usually tend to migrate through areas where the pore size is comparable to their diameter (Park et al 2018 ; Wondergem et al 2020 ). As soon as cells encounter obstacles (e.g., other cells, matrix fibers; in vitro: pillar forests), they modify their migration patterns, which initiates topotaxis effects (Schakenraad et al 2020 ).…”

“…In pillar forests, chemotaxis and topotaxis can be studied together, to understand their respective influences on cell guidance. Cells usually migrate toward a chemoattractant and sparse organizations (Wondergem et al 2020 ). It has been shown that if chemical and density gradients are opposing (i.e., higher chemical concentration on the same side as denser pillar organization), then they compete.…”

“…It has been shown that if chemical and density gradients are opposing (i.e., higher chemical concentration on the same side as denser pillar organization), then they compete. For example, D. discoideum will still migrate toward the chemoattractant, but with a probability to transit toward dense pillars much lower than for the use of aligned gradients (Wondergem et al 2020 ). Overall, the cell organization and the response to physical and chemical external stimulation are likely to be the main parameters for all cells to explore their environment in an efficient manner, depending on their functions.…”