Directed invasion of cancer cell spheroids inside 3D collagen matrices oriented by microfluidic flow in experiment and simulation

Geiger, Florian; Schnitzler, Lukas G.; Brugger, Manuel S.; Westerhausen, Christoph and Engelke, Hanna (2022): Directed invasion of cancer cell spheroids inside 3D collagen matrices oriented by microfluidic flow in experiment and simulation.
In: PLOS One 17(3), e0264571

Abstract

Invasion is strongly influenced by the mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix. Here, we use microfluidics to align fibers of a collagen matrix and study the influence of fiber orientation on invasion from a cancer cell spheroid. The microfluidic setup allows for highly oriented collagen fibers of tangential and radial orientation with respect to the spheroid, which can be described by finite element simulations. In invasion experiments, we observe a strong bias of invasion towards radial as compared to tangential fiber orientation. Simulations of the invasive behavior with a Brownian diffusion model suggest complete blockage of migration perpendicularly to fibers allowing for migration exclusively along fibers. This slows invasion toward areas with tangentially oriented fibers down, but does not prevent it.

• Item Type: Journal article
• Faculties: Chemistry and Pharmacy > Department of Chemistry
• Subjects: 500 Science > 540 Chemistry
• ISSN: 1932-6203
• Language: English