Study of dendritic cell migration using micro-fabrication

• Published in: Journal of immunological methods Vol. 432; pp. 30 - 34
• Main Authors: Vargas, Pablo, Chabaud, Mélanie, Thiam, Hawa-Racine, Lankar, Danielle, Piel, Matthieu, Lennon-Dumenil, Ana-Maria
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.05.2016
• Subjects: Adaptive Immunity; Animals; Cell migration; Cell Polarity; Cellular Microenvironment; Chemokines; Chemotaxis; Confinement; Constrictions; Cytokines - immunology; Cytokines - metabolism; Dendritic cells; Dendritic Cells - immunology; Dendritic Cells - metabolism; Equipment Design; Gradients; Humans; Imaging; Immunity, Innate; Leukocytes; Lymphocytes; Micro-fabrication; Microscopy - instrumentation; Microscopy - methods; Microtechnology - instrumentation; Microtechnology - methods; Miniaturization; Motility; Persistence; Phenotype; Signal Transduction; Time Factors; Confinement; Motility; Dendritic cells; Leukocytes; Micro-fabrication; Persistence; Lymphocytes; Imaging; Constrictions; Gradients; Cell polarity; Cell migration; Chemokines
• ISSN: 0022-1759; 1872-7905
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jim.2015.12.005

Cell migration is a hallmark of dendritic cells (DCs) function. It is needed for DCs to scan their environment in search for antigens as well as to reach lymphatic organs in order to trigger T lymphocyte's activation. Such interaction leads to tolerance in the case of DCs migrating under homeostatic conditions or to immunity in the case of DCs migrating upon encounter with pathogen-associated molecular patterns. Cell migration is therefore essential for DCs to transfer information from peripheral tissues to lymphoid organs, thereby linking innate to adaptive immunity. This stresses the need to unravel the molecular mechanisms involved. However, the tremendous complexity of the tissue microenvironment as well as the limited spatio-temporal resolution of in vivo imaging techniques has made this task difficult. To bypass this problem, we have developed microfabrication-based experimental tools that are compatible with high-resolution imaging. Here, we will discuss how such devices can be used to study DC migration under controlled conditions that mimic their physiological environment in a robust quantitative manner. •Dendritic cell migration determines the outcome of the adaptive immune response•We have developed micro-fabricated tools compatible with high resolution imaging to study cell migration ex vivo•These tools can be used to unravel the molecular mechanisms that rule their migratory behavior in confined environments.