The origin, migratory pathways and adult derivatives of neural crest cells (NCCs) are well known. However, less is known about how these cells migrate. In this study, in a laboratory based in a low-resource setting, a hanging drop culture assay was utilised to study the movement of individual avian trunk neural crest cells. Mode of migration by means of lamellipodia and filopodia was studied in live cell cultures with a laser scanning confocal microscope and Airyscan module. Both distance migrated and speed of migration were calculated. NCCs migrated in a chain soon after emerging from the explanted neural tube, but were more dispersed and had random movements when they reached the periphery of the culture. While the distances travelled by these NCCs were less and the cells were slower on gelatine than on other extracellular matrices reported in the literature, the assay afforded detailed observation of actin filament distribution and cytoplasmic protrusions. The study has provided unique evidence of individual NCC movements in vitro, in a simple hanging drop assay optimized for the study of NCCs. The assay could be used for further analysis of the behaviour of NCCs on different extracellular matrices or with targeted action.

神经嵴细胞 (NCC) 的起源、迁移途径和成体衍生物是众所周知的。然而，人们对这些细胞如何迁移知之甚少。在这项研究中，在一个位于资源匮乏环境的实验室中，利用悬滴培养测定来研究个体禽类躯干神经嵴细胞的运动。用激光扫描共聚焦显微镜和 Airyscan 模块在活细胞培养物中研究了通过片状伪足和丝状伪足的迁移方式。计算了迁移距离和迁移速度。NCCs 从外植的神经管中出现后不久就成链迁移，但当它们到达培养物的外围时，它们会更加分散并且具有随机运动。虽然与文献中报道的其他细胞外基质相比，这些 NCC 行进的距离更短，而且细胞在明胶上的速度更慢，但该测定提供了肌动蛋白丝分布和细胞质突起的详细观察。该研究在为 NCC 研究优化的简单悬滴试验中提供了体外个体 NCC 运动的独特证据。该测定可用于进一步分析 NCC 在不同细胞外基质上的行为或具有靶向作用。