Evaluation of the behavior of murine and human embryonic stem cells in in vitro migration and invasion assays

Abstract

Cell migration and invasion are essential processes in a variety of physiological events in the body, but also in several patho-physiological events. In this paper, the behavior of murine and human embryonic stem cells is examined in in vitro migration and invasion models. mESC and hESC were applied as spheroids, also known as patches, and as single cells, to mimic possible cell therapy application strategies. Two known in vitro migration assays, the ECM (extracellular matrix) assay and the Boyden chamber migration assay were selected. These assays revealed that mESC are statistically significantly more infiltrative than hESC. Application as spheroid results in a slightly higher infiltrative capacity compared single cells. The PHF (precultured chick heart fragment) assay was selected as an invasion assay. In the PHF assay a more 3D examination of the infiltrative nature of the ESC can be observed. The mESC showed infiltrative behavior, as spheroids and as single cells. The hESC were infiltrative as single cells but not as spheroids. The results of these assays are mostly complementary and prove the applicability of these assays, which were originally applied in tumor biology, in migratory behavior studies regarding stem cells and their progeny in basic and other conditions.