Figure 1.

Fibulin-5 potently induces elastic fiber development and promotes tropoelastin coacervation. (A–C) Human skin fibroblasts were cultured in 10% fetal bovine serum–containing medium (A), in serum-free medium (B), and in serum-free medium with 8 μg/ml of purified recombinant FLAG-tagged fibulin-5 protein (C). Cultures were stained with anti-FLAG (top) or anti–human elastin (middle) antibody. The bottom images were produced by superimposition of the top and middle images, together with DAPI nuclear staining. (D–G) Human skin fibroblasts were cultured in serum-free medium with 0, 2, 4, or 8 μg/ml of purified FLAG-tagged recombinant fibulin-5 protein, to examine the dose-dependency of fibulin-5 elastogenic activity. Cultures were stained as in A–C. Bars, 50 μm.