Fewer cells in a smaller space: Cell activities in microfluidic devices

Abstract

Cell activities are largely affected by the physical and chemical parameters in the microenvironment. However, precise control of these parameters is generally tedious and responses of individual cells are usually various. In this presentation I will introduce the concept of microenvironmental control by using microfluidic devices. Because of the larger cell-to-volume ratios in such devices, cellular responses to the stimulations in the microenvironment are more evident, compared with the studies using conventional culture dishes. Therefore the numbers of observed cells can be reduced. We use this technique to investigate the dynamics of cancer-cell filopodia, which are needle-like cell-edge protrusions composed of actin bundles. We find that filopodia respond to regulators related to Cdc 42 as well as DC electric fields. I will also introduce our studies on the interactions between cancer cells and stromal cells in delicately designed microfluidic devices.