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Measuring Chemotaxis Using Direct Visualization Microscope Chambers

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Adhesion Protein Protocols

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1046))

Abstract

Direct visualization chambers are considered the gold standard for measuring and analyzing chemotactic responses, because they allow detailed analysis of cellular behavior during the process of chemotaxis. We have previously described the Insall chamber, an improved chamber for measuring cancer cell chemotaxis. Here, we describe in detail how this system can be used to perform two key assays for both fast- and slow-moving mammalian and nonmammalian cell types. This allows for the detailed analysis of chemotactic responses in linear gradients at the levels of both overall cell behavior and subcellular dynamics.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Epigem (http://epigem.co.uk) for manufacturing the Insall chambers, Don MacBean for manufacturing the chamber holder cassettes and drilling the chambers, and Michael Carnell for writing the stitching plugin.

This work has been supported by a Wellcome Trust and a CRUK core grant.

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Muinonen-Martin, A.J., Knecht, D.A., Veltman, D.M., Thomason, P.A., Kalna, G., Insall, R.H. (2013). Measuring Chemotaxis Using Direct Visualization Microscope Chambers. In: Coutts, A. (eds) Adhesion Protein Protocols. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1046. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-538-5_18

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-538-5_18

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-62703-537-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-62703-538-5

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