fig5

Figure 5. Evidence for the existence and effects of mechanical forces between fibroblasts and liver cancer cells in coculture. (A) Representative fluorescent live-cell image showing the 3D microstructure generated by the coculture of liver cancer cells and fibroblasts on day 10. HepG2-tdT cells (red) and MEF-clover cells (green) were plated together in a confocal dish at a ratio of 1 to 1. Scale bars, 100 μm. (B) Representative fluorescent live-cell image showing the 3D microstructure generated by monocultured HepG2-tdT cells on day 10. Scale bar, 100 μm. (C) Representative fluorescent live-cell image showing the 3D microstructure generated by monocultured MEF-clover cells on day 10. Scale bar, 100 μm. (D) Representative IF staining images of integrin-α₅ (human antigens only), fibronectin, and nuclei in the coculture of HepG2 cells and MEFs. HepG2 cells and MEFs were plated together in a 6-well plate at a ratio of 1 to 1. Sterile coverslips were first placed in each well before plating. IF staining images of monocultured cells are provided below. Scale bars, 50 μm. Figures are modified with permission from Ref.^[36] © (2022) the Ivyspring International Publisher.