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Transwell In Vitro Cell Migration and Invasion Assays

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Cell Viability Assays

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 2644))

Abstract

Cell migration and invasion have essential roles in both normal physiology and disease. As such, methodologies to assess cell migratory and invasive capacities are necessary to elucidate normal cell processes and underlying mechanisms of disease. Here, we describe commonly used transwell in vitro methods for the study of cell migration and invasion. The transwell migration assay involves the chemotaxis of cells through a porous membrane after the establishment of a chemoattractant gradient using two medium-filled compartments. The transwell invasion assay involves the addition of an extracellular matrix on top of the porous membrane which only permits chemotaxis of cells which possess invasive properties such as tumor cells.

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Acknowledgments

The work was supported by research grants from the National Institutes of Health (R03CA249473 and R15DK109484, to L.V.Y.). C.R.J., M.A.M., and E.J.S. contributed equally to this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA

    Calvin R. Justus, Mona A. Marie, Edward J. Sanderlin & Li V. Yang

Authors
  1. Calvin R. Justus
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  2. Mona A. Marie
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  3. Edward J. Sanderlin
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  4. Li V. Yang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Li V. Yang .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Medical Biotechnology (MBT), Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (CBI), Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nüremberg, Erlangen, Germany

    Oliver Friedrich

  2. Institute of Medical Biotechnology (MBT), Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (CBI), Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nüremberg, Erlangen, Germany

    Daniel F. Gilbert

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© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature

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Justus, C.R., Marie, M.A., Sanderlin, E.J., Yang, L.V. (2023). Transwell In Vitro Cell Migration and Invasion Assays. In: Friedrich, O., Gilbert, D.F. (eds) Cell Viability Assays. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 2644. Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-3052-5_22

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-3052-5_22

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  • Publisher Name: Humana, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-0716-3051-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-0716-3052-5

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