Quantification and regulation of cell migration.

Cell migration is essential for many physiological and pathological processes that include embryonic development, the immune response, wound healing, angiogenesis, and cancer metastasis. It is also important for emerging tissue engineering applications such as tissue reconstitution and the colonization of biomedical implants. By summarizing results from recent experimental and theoretical studies, this review outlines the role played by growth factors or substrate-adhesion molecules in modulating cell motility and shows that cell motility can be an important factor in determining the rates of tissue formation. The application of cell motility assays and the use of theoretical models for analyzing cell migration and proliferation are also discussed.