Fig. 4.

CAF remodel ECM protein composition and mechanical properties

a. Proteomics heatmap of the relative abundance of 2408 quantified proteins in BpBCM in tri-culture with either CAF or NMF on day 1 and day 7. b. Enrichment analysis of overexpressed GO biological processes and cellular components in triCAF compared to triNMF condition on day 7. Processes are ordered in decreasing p-values. c. Heatmap of extracellular matrix specific proteins: collagen subtypes, laminin chains, restriction enzymes and other fibrillar and matricellular proteins (N = 3). d. Schematic representation of the atomic force microscopy force-spectroscopy protocol. Stromal area was probed using a colloidal probe after 7 days of maturation in triNMF or triCAF conditions. e. Stromal region scan by atomic force microscopy in force spectroscopy representing local apparent Young's modulus. Scale bar: 5 μm. f. Mean region apparent Young's modulus in NMF and CAF BpBCM stroma (N = 2). Shown as mean ± s.d. P values were calculated with Fisher's exact test (b), and Mann-Whitney two-tailed test (f).**P < 0.01.