Cell Migration and Scratch Assays

The Omni imaging platform and Scratch Assay Software Module offer an integrated solution to monitor your cell migration in real time on any cell culture plate.

The ability of cancer cells to migrate represents a hallmark event of cancer metastasis. In this example, the Omni live-cell imager was used to examine the collective migration of glioma cells.  Watch as the intuitive software automatically selects the cell-free ('scratch') area (highlighted in blue) and quantifies the gap closure and cell migration speed in timelapse video taken over 17 hours.

Cell migration represents a key factor in the metastatic cascade and a proxy for metastatic potential. See how the scratch assay can provide deep insights into the characterization of different cancer cell lines.  

In this study, the Maestro Z impedance assay was used to characterize the migration of two breast cancer cell lines: MCF-7, a hormone-receptor positive line, and HCC1806, a triple-negative breast cancer line.

Each cell type exhibited a unique impedance profile over time during proliferation, and showed consistent decreases in impedance as a result of the scratch. 

Triple negative cells HCC1806 migrated to almost fully cover the gap, whereas MCF-7 cells migrated very little over the course of 72 hours. The Maestro Z kinetic data highlighted the different cell line characterizations.

Read our application note to see the details of how the Maestro Z highlighted differences in cell lines.

The scratch assay is also an effective method to assess treatments designed to prevent cell migration.

Here, the Maestro Z clearly showed the impact of adding modified citrus pectin (MCP) to the scratch area resulted in reducing metastasis of MCF-7 and triple negative HCC1806 cells.

Read our app note to learn how the Maestro Z highlighted the differences in treatments on cell migration.

Axion's imaging and impedance platforms deliver live-cell kinetic data, offering several advantages compared to measurements taken at single time points.

>> Continuous monitoring: get reliable information about your dynamic cellular population response and adjust your experiments based on real-time observations.

>> Automated assessments: say good-bye to labor-intensive endpoint assays with continuous, hands-free monitoring.

>> Non-invasive or label-free assays: assess your cells without the use of labels, resulting in reproducible quantification of cell migration.

>> Maintain physiological conditions: record straight from your incubator with Omni or get built-in environmental controls with our Maestro Z benchtop device.