Development of Technology for Controlling Cell Migration through Single-Molecular Force Regulation
The research results of Professor Dong-Hwee Kim’s group  were published in Advanced Science.

▲ Doctor Han Seong-Beom (left, first author)  and Professor Kim Dong-Hwee (right, corresponding author).

Professor Kim Dong-Hwee’s group of the Department of Integrative Energy Engineering of the KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology developed a technology for accurately controlling the adhesion and mobility of individual cells. To achieve this, they created a molecular structure for controlling, with a single molecular force, the integrin protein, which is involved in the detection of extracellular changes and the intracellular signaling of cells.

The results were published in the February issue of Advanced Science (IF:15.1), a globally renowned journal in nanoscience, chemistry, and materials science.
*Article title: Selective Suppression of Integrin-Ligand Binding by Single Molecular Tension Probes Mediates Directional Cell Migration

Professor Kim’s group (Applied Mechanobiology Group) developed a new technology for regulating cell adhesion and migration based on their research on the stimulus recognition mechanism of the intracellular organelles responding to spontaneous mechanical stimuli in the body, including the beating of the heart, the flow of body fluids, and the contraction and relaxation of muscles.

▲ A schematic diagram of the research: By regulating the binding force between cells  

and the surrounding environment mediated by the integrin proteins at a single-molecular level,

the adhesion of cells to surrounding materials or their migration can be controlled.

The research team took advantage of the phenomenon that, when separating two strands of DNA whose exact sequence is known, the force required varies depending on the position at which the force is applied. The researchers synthesized a molecular sensor capable of regulating force at the scale of the piconewton (pN: one trillionth of a newton), and controlled the behavior of cells on the surface coated with the sensor. Cells respond to the external environment through structural changes to the integrin proteins, which are involved in the detection of extracellular changes and intracellular signaling. Through a fine regulation of force, they experimentally proved that the signaling that is mediated by the integrin proteins can be used to control cell migration. 

The research group has a plan to conduct follow-up studies to develop a new healthcare technology for physically controlling cell mobility, which is essential to cancer metastasis and tissue regeneration. 

This research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (Mechanogenomic Research Center).