Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41413344›Full record

ReviewNature methods2026

Selecting the optimal cell migration assay: fundamentals and practical guidelines.

Wenxuan Du, Praful R Nair, Andre Forjaz, Jude M Phillip, Pei-Hsun Wu, Denis Wirtz

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Nature methods, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Wenxuan DuDepartment of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4117-0623
Praful R NairInstitute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Andre ForjazDepartment of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0002-5115-2293
Jude M PhillipDepartment of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA. jphillip@jhu.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2999-5254
Pei-Hsun WuDepartment of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA. pwu@jhu.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7371-2960
Denis WirtzDepartment of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA. wirtz@jhu.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6147-3045

Funding

Tech Core 2U54CA268083 · NCI · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI Pei-Hsun wu · 2022 to 2026
$10.2M
Three-dimensional maps of senescence in the human pancreasUH3CA275681 · NCI · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI WU, PEI-HSUN · 2024 to 2025
$1.7M
Engineering self-propelled tumor-infiltrating CAR T cells using synthetic velocity receptorsR01CA300052 · NCI · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI Denis Wirtz · 2025 to 2026
$1.3M
Three-dimensional maps of senescence in the human pancreasUG3CA275681 · NCI · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI WU, PEI-HSUN · 2022 to 2023
$1.1M
Organ Specific ProjectU54AR081774 · NIAMS · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI REDDY, SASHANK K, WIRTZ, DENIS · 2022 to 2023
$1.1M
NCI NIH HHS R01 CA300052NCI NIH HHS U54 CA268083NCI NIH HHS UG3 CA275681NCI NIH HHS UH3 CA275681NIAMS NIH HHS U54 AR081774U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Cancer Institute (NCI) R01CA300052U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Cancer Institute (NCI) U54AR081774U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Cancer Institute (NCI) U54CA268083U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Cancer Institute (NCI) UG3CA275681U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Cancer Institute (NCI) UH3CA275681U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) R35-GM157099
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Cell migration is a key cellular process that drives major developmental programs. To mimic and mechanistically understand cell migration in these different contexts, different assays have been developed. However, owing to the lack of practical guidelines, these different cell migration assays are often used interchangeably. This and the inherent dynamic nature of cell migration, which often requires sophisticated live-cell microscopy, may have caused cell migration to be notably less well understood than equally important cell functions, such as cell differentiation or proliferation. In this Review, we describe commonly used custom and commercial in vitro and in vivo cell migration assays and provide a comprehensive practical guide and decision tree outlining how to choose and implement an assay that best suits the biological question at hand. We hope this guidance spurs biological insights into this complex process and encourages future methods development.

Indexed as

Cell Migration AssaysCell MovementAnimalsGuidelines as TopicHumans

Identifiers

PMID41413344
PMCPMC12917876

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.