Abstract
The ability of cells to sense and respond to endogenous electric fields is important in processes such as wound healing, development, and nerve regeneration. In cell culture, many epithelial and endothelial cell types respond to an electric field of magnitude similar to endogenous electric fields by moving preferentially either parallel or antiparallel to the field vector, a process known as galvanotaxis. Here we report on the influence of dc electric field and confinement on the motility of fibroblast cells using a chip-based platform. From analysis of cell paths we show that the influence of electric field on motility is much more complex than simply imposing a directional bias towards the cathode or anode. The cell velocity, directedness, as well as the parallel and perpendicular components of the segments along the cell path are dependent on the magnitude of the electric field. Forces in the directions perpendicular and parallel to the electric field are in competition with one another in a voltage-dependent manner, which ultimately govern the trajectories of the cells in the presence of an electric field. To further investigate the effects of cell reorientation in the presence of a field, cells are confined within microchannels to physically prohibit the alignment seen in 2D environment. Interestingly, we found that confinement results in an increase in cell velocity both in the absence and presence of an electric field compared to migration in 2D.
Highlights
The asymmetric distribution of ion channels and pumps between the apical and basal surfaces of the endothelial cells surrounding most organs leads to a transendothelial potential difference DQ ( = Qapical – Qbasal) of +15 to +60 mV, corresponding to a dc electric field of 0.5–5 V cm21 [1,2,3]
We found that physical confinement results in an increase in cell velocity both in the absence and presence of an electric field compared to migration in 2D
Many cell types are known to respond to dc electric fields (dcEFs) with morphological changes and increased motility [20,21,22]
Summary
The asymmetric distribution of ion channels and pumps between the apical and basal surfaces of the endothelial cells surrounding most organs leads to a transendothelial (or transepithelial) potential difference DQ ( = Qapical – Qbasal) of +15 to +60 mV, corresponding to a dc electric field of 0.5–5 V cm21 [1,2,3]. This is a relatively small field, about six orders of magnitude lower than the threshold field for electroporation of a cell membrane Most cell types respond to dcEFs of the magnitude of endogenous electric fields, the origin of this directionality and the mechanism of galvanotaxis remain unknown
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