Metabolic variation of HeLa cells migrating on microfabricated cytophilic channels studied by the fluorescence lifetime of NADH

Abstract

We report a novel method for studying cellular migration in vitro. Cytophilic microdomains were formed on a cytophobic substrate by laser ablation. HeLa cells were grown on those domains until confluence, and then channels were formed to guide cellular migration. Two-photon excitation fluorescence-lifetime imaging of NADH revealed metabolic variation among migrating and nonmigrating cells.