Issue 2, 2006

Microfluidic system for measuring neutrophil migratory responses to fast switches of chemical gradients

Abstract

Experimental systems that provide temporal and spatial control of chemical gradients are required for probing into the complex mechanisms of eukaryotic cell chemotaxis. However, no current technique can simultaneously generate stable chemical gradients and allow fast gradient changes. We developed a microfluidic system with microstructured membranes for exposing neutrophils to fast and precise changes between stable, linear gradients of the known chemoattractant Interleukin-8 (IL-8). We observed that rapidly lowering the average concentration of IL-8 within a gradient, while preserving the direction of the gradient, resulted in temporary neutrophil depolarization. Fast reversal of the gradient direction while increasing or decreasing the average concentration also resulted in temporary depolarization. Neutrophils adapted and maintained their directional motility, only when the average gradient concentration was increased and the direction of the gradient preserved. Based on these observations we propose a two-component temporal sensing mechanism that uses variations of chemokine concentration averaged over the entire cell surface and localized at the leading edge, respectively, and directs neutrophil responses to changes in their chemical microenvironment.

Graphical abstract: Microfluidic system for measuring neutrophil migratory responses to fast switches of chemical gradients

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
22 Aug 2005
Accepted
06 Dec 2005
First published
23 Dec 2005

Lab Chip, 2006,6, 191-198

Microfluidic system for measuring neutrophil migratory responses to fast switches of chemical gradients

D. Irimia, S. Liu, W. G. Tharp, A. Samadani, M. Toner and M. C. Poznansky, Lab Chip, 2006, 6, 191 DOI: 10.1039/B511877H

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements