Modulation of epithelial tissue and cell migration by microgrooves

We used a polystyrene substratum to study the response of migrating epithel ium to 1- or 5-mum depth microgrooves with groove/ridge widths of 1, 2, 5, or 10 mum. The migration of a tissue sheet was enhanced along the microgroo ves, while migration across the microgrooves was inhibited. Changing the de pth of the microgrooves had a greater effect on migration than alteration o f the groove/ridge width. The migration of epithelial cells from a confluen t monolayer culture followed a similar pattern to that of intact epithelial tissue. Cellular extensions generally followed the microgroove direction b y tracking along the top of the ridges or following the ridge walls, as rev ealed by scanning electron microscopy. Actin filaments within the basal cel l layer of the tissue were aligned with the microgrooves, unlike filaments in the superficial layers that did not appear to be affected by the presenc e of underlying microgrooves. The basal cell layer of the tissue conformed to the contours of the microgroove following migration. However, the ultras tructure of the tissue above the ridges resembled that of tissue on a flat surface. We concluded that surface microgrooves have the potential to direc t the migration of immediately adjacent epithelial tissue, the effect of wh ich is to guide epithelial tissue on the surface of implanted biomaterials. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 56: 195-207, 2001.