Dynamic substrates to investigate cell migration

Dynamic migration events involving populations of cells are critical to in vivo morphogenetic processes such as angiogenesis and wound healing. It is clear that the formation of new adhesions, cell spreading, and invasion into new territory depend upon the composition and architecture of the extracellular matrix (ECM), and on the types and spatial organization of cells involved. However, traditional methods of studying migratory processes, for example scrape wounding monolayers of cells, provide little control over these structural and organizational parameters. We have developed microcontact printing methods to pattern culture substrates with regions that are adhesive to cells, regions that are not adhesive, and regions that can be dynamically switched from a non-adhesive to cell-adhesive state. We will present the development of these novel dynamic substrates and our preliminary studies into how monolayer geometry regulates the migration of groups of cells as they respond to changes in their adhesive environment.