Microfluidic mazes to characterize T-cell exploration patterns following activation in vitro

Integr Biol (Camb). 2015 Nov;7(11):1423-31. doi: 10.1039/c5ib00146c.

Abstract

The migration of T-cell subsets within peripheral tissues is characteristic of inflammation and immunoregulation. In general, the lymphocyte migratory response is assumed directional and guided by local gradients of chemoattractants and/or chemorepellents. However, little is known about how cells explore their tissue environment, and whether lymphocyte activation may influence speed and exploratory patterns of migration. To probe migration patterns by T-cells we designed a microfluidic maze device that replicates critical features of a tissue-like microenvironment. We quantified the migration patterns of unstimulated and mitogen-activated human T-cells at single cell resolution and found significant differences in exploration within microfluidic mazes. While unstimulated lymphocytes migrated in a directed manner, activated T-cells migrated through large areas of the mazes in an exploratory pattern in response to the chemoattractants RANTES (CCL5) and IP-10 (CXCL10). The analysis of migration enabled by the microfluidic devices help develop new methods for determining how human circulating T-cells function in vivo to seek out antigens in health and disease states.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / chemistry
  • Antigens / chemistry
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Chemokine CCL5 / metabolism
  • Chemokine CXCL10 / metabolism
  • Chemotaxis, Leukocyte*
  • Healthy Volunteers
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Lymphocyte Activation
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques
  • Microfluidics*
  • T-Lymphocytes / cytology*

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Antigens
  • CCL5 protein, human
  • CXCL10 protein, human
  • Chemokine CCL5
  • Chemokine CXCL10