Abstract
Much progress in understanding cell migration has been determined by using classic two-dimensional (2D) tissue culture platforms. However, increasingly, it is appreciated that certain properties of cell migration in vivo are not represented by strictly 2D assays. There is much interest in creating relevant three-dimensional (3D) culture environments and engineered platforms to better represent features of the extracellular matrix and stromal microenvironment that are not captured in 2D platforms. Important to this goal is a solid understanding of the features of the extracellular matrix—composition, stiffness, topography, and alignment—in different tissues and disease states and the development of means to capture these features
Highlights
Cell migration is a fundamental process necessary for the creation of tissues during embryogenesis, immune surveillance, wound repair, inflammation, and the invasion and metastasis of cancer cells. All of these processes occur in the context of the extracellular matrix (ECM)
A concerted effort to understand the basic mechanisms of cell migration and other cellular behaviors has focused largely on cells cultured on two-dimensional (2D) surfaces
Summary With increased understanding of the complex composition and structure of the ECM and how that varies in different developmental stages and during normal and disease processes, it will be possible to create in vitro microenvironments that better capture the complex in vivo ECM
Summary
Cell migration is a fundamental process necessary for the creation of tissues during embryogenesis, immune surveillance, wound repair, inflammation, and the invasion and metastasis of cancer cells. The use of CDMs has allowed an increased understanding of cell adhesions and behavior By combining this approach with genetically engineered fibroblasts, one can further manipulate the CDM and in many cases achieve a complex matrix that is aligned[7]. Summary With increased understanding of the complex composition and structure of the ECM and how that varies in different developmental stages and during normal and disease processes, it will be possible to create in vitro microenvironments that better capture the complex in vivo ECM Such relevant ECMs will allow a more complete understanding of basic questions related to cell migration, wound healing, and a variety of other cellular behaviors. Grant information The author(s) declared that no grants were involved in supporting this work
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