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Rectified cell migration on saw-like micro-elastically patterned hydrogels with asymmetric gradient ratchet teeth.

ABSTRACT: To control cell motility is one of the essential technologies for biomedical engineering. To establish a methodology of the surface design of elastic substrate to control the long-range cell movements, here we report a sophisticated cell culture hydrogel with a micro-elastically patterned surface that allows long-range durotaxis. This hydrogel has a saw-like pattern with asymmetric gradient ratchet teeth, and rectifies random cell movements. Durotaxis only occurs at boundaries in which the gradient strength of elasticity is above a threshold level. Consequently, in gels with unit teeth patterns, durotaxis should only occur at the sides of the teeth in which the gradient strength of elasticity is above this threshold level. Therefore, such gels are expected to support the long-range biased movement of cells via a mechanism similar to the Feynman-Smoluchowski ratchet, i.e., rectified cell migration. The present study verifies this working hypothesis by using photolithographic microelasticity patterning of photocurable gelatin gels. Gels in which each teeth unit was 100-120 µm wide with a ratio of ascending:descending elasticity gradient of 1:2 and a peak elasticity of ca. 100 kPa supported the efficient rectified migration of 3T3 fibroblast cells. In addition, long-range cell migration was most efficient when soft lanes were introduced perpendicular to the saw-like patterns. This study demonstrates that asymmetric elasticity gradient patterning of cell culture gels is a versatile means of manipulating cell motility.

SUBMITTER: Kidoaki S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3798417 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Rectified cell migration on saw-like micro-elastically patterned hydrogels with asymmetric gradient ratchet teeth.

Kidoaki Satoru S Sakashita Hiroyuki H

PloS one 20131017 10

To control cell motility is one of the essential technologies for biomedical engineering. To establish a methodology of the surface design of elastic substrate to control the long-range cell movements, here we report a sophisticated cell culture hydrogel with a micro-elastically patterned surface that allows long-range durotaxis. This hydrogel has a saw-like pattern with asymmetric gradient ratchet teeth, and rectifies random cell movements. Durotaxis only occurs at boundaries in which the gradi ...[more]

PMID: 24147112

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Project description:Twitching motility is a mode of surface translocation that is mediated by the extension and retraction of type IV pili and which, depending on the conditions, enables migration of individual cells or can manifest as a complex multicellular collective behavior that leads to biofilm expansion. When twitching motility occurs at the interface of an abiotic surface and solidified nutrient media, it can lead to the emergence of extensive self-organized patterns of interconnected trails that form as a consequence of the actively migrating bacteria forging a furrow network in the substratum beneath the expanding biofilm. These furrows appear to direct bacterial movements much in the same way that roads and footpaths coordinate motor vehicle and human pedestrian traffic. Self-organizing systems such as these can be accounted for by the concept of stigmergy which describes self-organization that emerges through indirect communication via persistent signals within the environment. Many bacterial communities are able to actively migrate across solid and semi-solid surfaces through complex multicellular collective behaviors such as twitching motility and flagella-mediated swarming motility. Here, we have examined the potential of exploiting the stigmergic behavior of furrow-mediated trail following as a means of controlling bacterial biofilm expansion along abiotic surfaces. We found that incorporation of a series of parallel micro-fabricated furrows significantly impeded active biofilm expansion by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus vulgaris. We observed that in both cases bacterial movements tended to be directed along the furrows. We also observed that narrow furrows were most effective at disrupting biofilm expansion as they impeded the ability of cells to self-organize into multicellular assemblies required for escape from the furrows and migration into new territory. Our results suggest that the implementation of micro-fabricated furrows that exploit stigmergy may be a novel approach to impeding active biofilm expansion across abiotic surfaces such as those used in medical and industrial settings.

Dataset Information

Rectified cell migration on saw-like micro-elastically patterned hydrogels with asymmetric gradient ratchet teeth.

Publications

Rectified cell migration on saw-like micro-elastically patterned hydrogels with asymmetric gradient ratchet teeth.

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