具雙重力學刺激之細胞移動研究微流道裝置

Abstract

細胞移動在許多生理現象及疾病扮演非常重要的角色，例如血管新生、傷口癒合以及癌症轉移。因此研究細胞移動的基本機制，將對疾病治療與再生醫學的發展至為關鍵。部分生物力學刺激對細胞移動的影響，已被廣泛研究並深入探討；然而，在多重訊號同時刺激下，細胞將如何受到調控，仍是目前了解甚少的領域。在本篇研究中，我們將具有硬度梯度的水膠整合進入微流道系統中，此一整合型裝置將能同時提供雙重力學刺激去調控細胞移動。藉由此一裝置，我們將能在一個更接近人體生理狀況的環境中，深入探討硬度梯度與滲透壓梯度對細胞移動的影響，此一裝置同時也具有應用在其它研究目的的潛力。

Cell migration plays an important role in both physiology and disease, such as angiogenesis, wound healing and cancer metastasis. Therefore, understanding the fundamental mechanisms of cell migration is crucial to create strategies for disease treatment and regenerative medicine. Some biomechanical cues have been well studied about their effects on guiding cell migration, however, few discuss about simultaneously generating dual or multiple cues to affect cell migration. Here, we integrated a gradient-compliant polyacrylamide (PA) gel into the microfluidic system, thus enabling the device to provide dual mechanical cues at the same time. By adopting this advanced device, we can investigate the effects of stiffness and osmotic gradients on guiding cell migration in a more in vivo-like environment, and this dual cues system might also be useful for other applications.