Microtubule-dependent trafficking assay

Cell confinement for cytoskeletal organization

4DCELL DEVICE

Micropatterns

 

READ-OUTS

Quantification of cargo speed and persistence, visualization of cytoskeleton tracks, standardization of cell shape and organization.

 

STANDARD CULTURE LIMITATION

In standard cultures, cells are distributed in 2D monolayers causing them to acquire random shapes. This affects the distribution of their internal organelles, and the organization of microtubules (MTs) tracks.

 

MT-DEPENDENT TRAFFICKING ASSAY

Using 4Dcell’s micropatterns, the components of the cytoskeleton are spatially separated, and cells do not change their shape upon removal of the F-actin bundles. With this 4Dcell assay, we can study the long-range MT guidance mechanism and MT-dependent trafficking, observe and quantify MT growth trajectories and their directions over the entire cell by high-resolution microscopy.

 

EXAMPLES

 

Cell confinement enables the control of cell geometry and cytoskeletal organization [1]

Cell geometry with micropatterns

(A) In unpatterned cells, cytoskeleton components are overlaped

(B) In cells micropatterned, the cytoskelon is organized. 

(MT in green, focal adhesions in red and F-actin bundles in blue)

Microtubule growth trajectories and F-actin bundles in triangular cells.

(MT in green, focal adhesions in red and F-actin bundles in blue)