# US 2025/0145926 A1 · Devices, methods, and systems for assessing cell migration and related processes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2025/0145926 A1 - Document ID: US20250145926A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/933,845 - Filed: 2024-10-31 - Published: 2025-05-08 - Earliest claimed: 2023-11-03 - Assignees: University of Washington - Applicants: University of Washington - Inventors: Nathan Belliveau; Julie Theriot; Matthew Footer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250145926A1 ## CPC - C12M 23/34: {Internal compartments or partitions} - C12M 25/02: {Membranes; Filters (filters or filtration in general B01D24/00-B01D41/00)} - C12M 35/06: {Magnetic means (C12M35/02 takes precedence)} - C12M 47/04: {Cell isolation or sorting (purging biological preparations of unwanted cells C12N5/0081, determining the presence or kind of microorganism C12Q1/04)} - C12M: APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; {APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS} ## Abstract Various implementations described herein relate to devices, systems, and methods for inducing and/or causing cellular migration and uses thereof. Implementations described herein can be used to cause a portion of a cell population to migrate in response to a differential stimulus. Implementations described herein can be used to isolate and characterize the portion of the cell population. Implementations described herein can be used for research, diagnostic, or therapeutic purposes. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device, comprising: a first reservoir containing cell media; a second reservoir containing the cell media; a porous membrane disposed between the first reservoir and the second reservoir, the porous membrane comprising pores that are permeable to cells; and a stimulus generator configured to induce a differential stimulus between the first reservoir and the second reservoir across the porous membrane, the differential stimulus causing migration of at least a portion of the cells between the first reservoir and the second reservoir across the porous membrane. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the porous membrane has a thickness in a range of about 10 microns to about 100 microns, and/or wherein the pores have widths in a range of about 1 micron to about 15 microns. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the stimulus generator comprises: a first electrode electrically connected to the first reservoir; a second electrode electrically connected to the second reservoir, and a power source configured to induce a voltage across the first electrode and the second electrode. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The device of claim 3, further comprising: a first agarose salt bridge disposed between the first electrode and the first reservoir; and a second agarose salt bridge disposed between the second electrode and the second reservoir. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the stimulus generator comprises: a pump configured to output a chemical in the second reservoir, a concentration of chemical in the first reservoir being different than a concentration of the chemical in the second reservoir. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the stimulus generator comprises: an electromagnet configured to induce a magnetic field. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the differential stimulus comprises at least one of an electrical signal, a chemical signal, or a magnetic signal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising: a housing at least partially enclosing the first reservoir, the second reservoir, and the porous membrane. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, the porous membrane being a first porous membrane, the pores being first pores, the stimulus generator being a first stimulus generator, the differential stimulus being a first differential stimulus, the portion of the cells comprising a first portion of the cells, the device further comprising: a third reservoir comprising the cell media; a second porous membrane disposed between the second reservoir and the third reservoir, the second porous membrane comprising second pores that are permeable to the cells; and a second stimulus generator configured to induce a second differential stimulus between the first reservoir and the second reservoir across the porous membrane, the second differential stimulus causing migration of at least a second portion of the cells between the second reservoir and the third reservoir across the second porous membrane, wherein the first differential stimulus is different than the second differential stimulus. ### Claim 10 A device, comprising: a substrate; a first layer disposed on the substrate, cells being disposed between the substrate and at least a portion of the first layer; a second layer disposed on the first layer, the first layer being disposed between the substrate and the second layer; and a stimulus generator configured to output a stimulus that causes at least a portion of the cells to migrate from the first layer to the second layer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The device of claim 10, wherein the first layer and/or the second layer comprises at least one of: collagen, fibrin, elastin, laminin, entactin, alginate, proteoglycans, glycoproteins, epithelial cells, endothelial cells, muscle cells, mucous cells, fibroblasts, or adipocytes, and/or wherein the stimulus comprises an electrical signal, a chemical signal, or a magnetic signal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The device of claim 10, further comprising: Arginine-Glycine-Aspartic Acid (RGD) proteins disposed in the first layer and/or the second layer. ### Claim 13 A method of collecting cells that migrate in response to a stimulus, the method comprising: receiving, in a reservoir, a sample comprising first cells and second cells, the first cells and the second cells having different responses to the stimulus; causing the first cells to migrate through a cell separator by exposing the first cells and the second cells to the stimulus; and outputting a volume comprising the first cells. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the stimulus comprises at least one of an electrical signal, a chemical signal, or a magnetic signal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein causing the first cells to migrate through the cell separator by exposing the first cells and the second cells to the stimulus comprises: causing the first cells to migrate into and/or through at least one of: one or more protein layers, one or more tissue layers, one or more collagen layers, one or more fibrin layers, or one or more porous membranes. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein outputting the volume comprising the first cells comprises dissolving the one or more fibrin layers using nattokinase. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, the reservoir being a first reservoir, wherein causing the first cells to migrate through the cell separator by exposing the first cells and the second cells to the stimulus comprises: causing the first cells to migrate into a second reservoir, the cell separator being disposed between the first reservoir and the second reservoir. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the first cells express a gene and the second cells do not express the gene, or wherein the first cells express a first version of the gene and the second cells express a second version of the gene. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the stimulus comprises at least a portion of a candidate therapeutic agent, the method further comprising: estimating an efficacy of the candidate therapeutic agent by analyzing the volume comprising the first cells. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the first cells and the second cells are obtained from a subject, the method further comprising: identifying a pathology of the subject by analyzing the volume comprising the first cells, wherein the pathology comprises at least one of: a cancer type, a cancer subtype, an autoimmune disease, an autoimmune disease subtype, an inflammatory disease, an inflammatory disease subtype, a fibrotic disease, or a fibrotic disease subtype of the first cells.