FIGURE 7.

Migration activity of hMSCs through 8 µm pores is microcapsule loading–dependent. Human MSC migration through micropores was monitored with special 16-well CIM plates of the x CELLigence RTCA DP system as described in the Methods. The system allows real-time determination of the impedance dynamics at cell contact with gold electrodes and determination of the cell index correlating with the number and area of cells attached to the electrode. Cells (40,000) were placed in the upper chamber and allowed to migrate through 8 µm pores to the lower chamber which is 80% covered with gold electrodes. Four wells were used for each experimental group. Signals for the determination of the migration index were registered every 15 min for 72 h. These data demonstrate that cell migration activity through 8 µm pores was microcapsule loading–dependent and significantly reduced with higher microcapsule loading. p < .01 for cell/microcapsule ratios 1:10, 1:20, and 1:45 when compared with control according to the Wilcoxon test.