Comparison of the Oris™ Cell Migration Assay to the Scratch Assay

Cell migration is integral to many physiological processes, including embryonic development, tissue regeneration, and wound healing. In addition, cell migration is involved in tumor metastasis and atherosclerosis. One assay commonly used to study cell migration in vitro is the scratch assay which has a number of limitations. Methods for creating the scratch vary from lab to lab and results can be highly variable. Furthermore, the process of scratch formation has been shown to damage the underlying extracellular matrix (ECM). The Oris™ Cell Migration Assay (CMA) was designed to address the limitations of the scratch assay. Assay reproducibility is greater in the Oris™ CMA compared to the scratch assay as a result of uniformly sized Detection Zones, and the underlying ECM is not damaged by the silicone stopper. This application note offers a direct comparison of the Oris™ CMA and the scratch assay in assessing cell migration. Furthermore, ECM integrity is assessed in both assay formats.