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. 2007 Mar 16;104(13):5425–5430. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0608030104

Fig. 6.

Fig. 6.

Fibroblasts interacting with precontracted (PC) collagen matrices show decreased microtubule requirement for cell spreading. Floating collagen matrices were precontracted for 12 h after which cells within the matrices were removed by detergent extraction and the matrices were centrifuged onto the surfaces of coverslips. SEM showed tight collagen fibril packing of precontracted matrices vs. control (Cont) matrices. Fibroblasts were incubated on collagen-coated coverslips or collagen matrices for 4 h in DMEM/BSA containing 50 ng/ml PDGF. Fibroblasts on precontracted floating collagen matrices appeared less dendritic, had actin stress fibers similar to cells on collagen-coated coverslips, and were able to spread but not polarize in the presence of 5 μM nocodazole. (Scale bars: 10 μm, Left; 50 μm, Center and Right.) (B) Nocodazole-treated cells in A were photographed (≈25 cells per condition), and projected cell surface areas were measured by using MetaView. Data shown are averages and SDs normalized to 2D spreading (2D absolute value = 2,578 ± 842 μm2). Values were compared by using Student's t test and differed with P < 0.002 between each pair of samples. Cell spreading in the presence of nocodazole was ≈75% of cells on coverslips.