Song Bing, Gu Yu, Pu Jin, Reid Brian, Zhao Zhiqiang, Zhao Min
School of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK.
Nat Protoc. 2007;2(6):1479-89. doi: 10.1038/nprot.2007.205.
It has long been known that cells can be induced to migrate by the application of small d.c. electric fields (EFs), a phenomenon referred to as galvanotaxis. We recently reported some significant effects of electric signals of physiological strength in guiding cell migration and wound healing. We present here protocols to apply an EF to cells or tissues cultured in an electrotactic chamber. The chamber can be built to allow controlled medium flow to prevent the potential development of chemical gradients generated by the EFs. It can accommodate cells on planar culture or tissues in 3D gels. Mounted on an inverted microscope, this setup allows close and well-controlled observation of cellular responses to electric signals. As similar EFs are widely present during development and wound healing, this experimental system can be used to simulate and study cellular and molecular responses to electric signals in these events.
长期以来，人们一直知道通过施加小直流电场（EFs）可以诱导细胞迁移，这种现象被称为趋电性。我们最近报道了生理强度的电信号在引导细胞迁移和伤口愈合方面的一些显著作用。在此，我们展示了将EF应用于在趋电室中培养的细胞或组织的方案。该趋电室可以构建成允许控制培养基流动，以防止由EFs产生的化学梯度的潜在形成。它可以容纳平面培养的细胞或三维凝胶中的组织。安装在倒置显微镜上，这种设置允许对细胞对电信号的反应进行密切且可控的观察。由于在发育和伤口愈合过程中广泛存在类似的EFs，该实验系统可用于模拟和研究这些过程中细胞和分子对电信号的反应。
