3D T cell motility in jammed microgels

Exploration of in vitro cell behavior in 3D space has revealed that cell morphology, cell generated forces, and the architecture of the intracellular mechanical machinery differ from their 2D counterparts, demonstrating the importance of investigation in 3D. However, current 3D methods employ continuous polymer networks to study cells in 3D which present numerous challenges associated with the need for transient pore-space to enable cell motion and the complexities of controlling the 3D cell distribution. To overcome these challenges, we have developed a 3D culture medium made from jammed microgels; the rheological properties of jammed microgels swelled in liquid cell growth media allow the dispersal of cells in into a 3D environment with well-defined structural and material properties. In this work, we explore the motility of T cells in systems of jammed microgel growth media prepared with different yield stresses, finding timescale and length-scale dependent dynamics that are correlated with the pore-space between the microgels. Jammed microgels represent a class of soft matter with unique properties that has not been leveraged for the study of cell motion or mechanics in 3D space; our observations of cell motion through jammed microgels demonstrate how T cells navigate porous environments and provide guidance for a multitude of future investigations in unexplored territory.