Cell Migration and Invasion Assay Services

Why Study Cell Migration and Invasion?

Cell migration and invasion assays are essential tools in biological and medical research, particularly for understanding processes such as cancer metastasis, wound healing, and tissue regeneration. These assays measure the ability of cells to move and invade through extracellular matrix-like environments under specific conditions.

Creative Bioarray offers specialized cell migration and invasion assay services to support researchers in studying cellular motility and invasiveness under various conditions. Their services utilize cutting-edge technologies and customizable solutions tailored to meet the specific needs of academic, pharmaceutical, and biotech research.

Applications

Cancer Research: Studying tumor metastasis and testing anti-metastatic drugs.
Drug Discovery: Screening compounds that influence cell motility or invasiveness.
Regenerative Medicine: Evaluating cell migration in wound healing models.
Immunology: Investigating the migration and recruitment of immune cells.

Key Services Provided by Creative Bioarray

Cell Migration Assays
- Wound Healing (Scratch) Assay
  Measures the lateral movement of cells into a scratched area of a confluent monolayer. This method is simple yet effective for analyzing cell migration in 2D models.
  Fig.1. Schematic diagram of scratch (wound healing) assay.
- Transwell Migration Assay
  Utilizes porous membranes to assess the ability of cells to migrate in response to chemoattractants. This method is suitable for quantitative analysis.
  Fig.2. Schematic diagram of cell transwell migration assay.
Cell Invasion Assays
- Transwell Invasion Assay
  Mimics the extracellular matrix (ECM) to assess invasive potential by requiring cells to degrade and migrate through an ECM-like barrier.
  Fig.3. Schematic diagram of cell transwell invasion assay.^[1]
- 3D Spheroid Invasion Assay
  Offers a more physiologically relevant environment by embedding cells in a 3D extracellular matrix (ECM) to observe their invasive behavior.
  Fig.4. Schematic diagram of 3D spheroid invasion assay.

Service Features and Advantages

High Sensitivity and Reproducibility: Utilizing optimized protocols to ensure reliable data.
Advanced Technology: Integrating imaging systems and automated analysis for precise measurement of cell movement and invasion parameters.
Customizable: Adapting assays to meet the specific experimental needs of clients, including unique cell lines, treatments, or matrix compositions.
Expert Analysis: Providing detailed data interpretation, including statistical analysis and reporting.

FAQ

1: What types of assays are commonly used for migration and invasion studies?

Scratch (Wound Healing) Assay: Monitors cell migration in a 2D environment after a scratch is made in a confluent cell layer.

Transwell Assay: Utilizes a porous membrane to evaluate migration or invasion, with or without an extracellular matrix (ECM) coating.

3D Invasion Assay: Embeds cells in a 3D ECM matrix to study migration and invasion in a physiologically relevant environment.

2: What is the difference between Transwell Migration Assay and Transwell Invasion Assay?

The Transwell migration and invasion assays are in vitro techniques designed to study cell movement, each with distinct applications and experimental setups. The Transwell Migration Assay evaluates a cell's ability to traverse a porous membrane, typically in response to a chemotactic gradient. In contrast, the Transwell Invasion Assay measures a cell's capacity to invade through a membrane coated with complex extracellular matrix components, offering a more accurate representation of the in vivo environment.

3: What types of cells can be used for these assays?

Almost any adherent or suspension cell type can be used, including:

Cancer cells.

Immune cells (e.g., T cells, macrophages).

Fibroblasts, endothelial cells, or epithelial cells.

Stem cells and differentiated cells.

4: How are assay conditions customized?

Matrix Coatings: Selection of extracellular matrix (ECM) components (e.g., collagen, Matrigel) for invasion assays.

Chemotactic Agents: Use of specific chemoattractants to simulate physiological or pathological conditions.

Hypoxic Conditions: Mimicking low-oxygen environments for cancer or tissue studies.

Co-Culture Systems: Incorporating multiple cell types to study their interactions.

Quotation and Ordering

If you have other questions, please contact us and we will provide you with detailed explanations. Our customer service representatives are available 24hr a day! Thanks for choosing Creative Bioarray services!

Reference

Justus CR, Marie MA, Sanderlin EJ, Yang LV. Transwell In Vitro Cell Migration and Invasion Assays. Methods Mol Biol. 2023;2644:349-359. doi:10.1007/978-1-0716-3052-5_22

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