Microfabricated Systems and Assays for Studying the Cytoskeletal Organization, Micromechanics, and Motility Patterns of Cancerous Cells

Cell motions are driven by coordinated actions of the intracellular cytoskeleton – actin, microtubules (MTs) and substrate/focal adhesions (FAs). This coordination is altered in metastatic cancer cells resulting in deregulated and increased cellular motility. Microfabrication tools, including photolithography, micromolding, microcontact printing, wet stamping and microfluidic devices have emerged as a powerful set of experimental tools with which to probe and define the differences in cytoskeleton organization/dynamics and cell motility patterns in non‐metastatic and metastatic cancer cells. In this review, we discuss four categories of microfabricated systems: (i) micropatterned substrates for studying of cell motility sub‐processes (for example, MT targeting of FAs or cell polarization); (ii) systems for studying cell mechanical properties, (iii) systems for probing overall cell motility patterns within challenging geometric confines relevant to metastasis (for example, linear and ratchet geometries), and (iv) microfluidic devices that incorporate co‐cultures of multiple cell types and chemical gradients to mimic in vivo intravasation/extravasation steps of metastasis. Together, these systems allow for creating controlled microenvironments that not only mimic complex soft tissues, but are also compatible with live cell high‐resolution imaging and quantitative analysis of single cell behavior. Cell motions driven by the intracellular cytoskeleton are deregulated in metastatic cancer cells. Microfabricated substrates, assays, and systems allow for creating simple yet well controlled microenvironments that mimic complex soft tissues and are compatible with high‐resolution live cell imaging and quantitative analyses of single cell behavior. These tools enable studying of the cytoskeletal organization, mechanical properties, and motility patterns of cancerous cells.