Chemotaxis assays for eukaryotic cells

Curr Protoc Cell Biol. 2001 May:Chapter 12:Unit 12.1. doi: 10.1002/0471143030.cb1201s00.

Abstract

Chemotaxis is a complex response of a cell to an external stimulus. It involves detecting and measuring the concentration of the chemoattractant, biochemical transmission of the information, and the motility and adhesive changes associated with the response. This unit describes a number of chemotaxis assays that can be used to identify chemoattractants individually and in large-scale screenings, to distinguish chemotaxis from chemokinesis, and to analyze cellular behavioral and biochemical responses. Some of these assays such as the filter, under agarose, and small population assays, can be used to monitor the behavior of large groups of cells; the bridge, pipet, and upshift assays can be used to analyze the responses of single cells.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Culture Techniques / methods
  • Cell Migration Assays / methods*
  • Chemotactic Factors / chemistry
  • Chemotactic Factors / pharmacology*
  • Chemotaxis / drug effects*
  • Chemotaxis / physiology*
  • Culture Media / chemistry
  • Culture Media / pharmacology
  • Diffusion Chambers, Culture / standards
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / methods
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / standards
  • Eukaryotic Cells / drug effects*
  • Eukaryotic Cells / physiology*
  • Filtration / methods
  • Filtration / standards
  • Humans

Substances

  • Chemotactic Factors
  • Culture Media