A Combined Cell Placement and Migration Assay Device for Cancer Cell Anti-migration Drug Screening

Highly migratory cancer cells often lead to recurrence and secondary tumors and are responsible for high mortality rates in cancers such as glioblastoma multiforme. Current treatments focus on resection and destruction of the primary tumor with radiation as well as chemical targeting of proliferative cells. Recently, drugs which specifically target highly migratory cells have been developed, but robust in vitro platforms for quantifying the efficacy of these drugs are still lacking. An ideal platform would provide high repeatability and predictability to automate quantification as well as mimic the migratory behavior of in vivo cells, all while minimizing reagent use. We have developed a microfluidic device capable of hydrodynamically trapping cancer cells from solution onto 10 and 15 micron polystyrene and polycaprolactone lines which encourage 1D migratory behavior based on the cells’ tendency to follow topographical cues. This device enables the use of a variety of other polymers via spin-dewetting/stamping that can be tuned to mimic the stiffness and/or surface chemistry of in vivo, fiber-like structures. Furthermore, its design will allow precise microfluidic assessment of potential drug targets to limit cancer cell migration.