Figure 5.

PE cells stably transfected with tropoelastin assemble tropoelastin onto a microfibril scaffold to form elastic fibers in the extracellular matrix. Immunofluorescence labeling of confluent cultures of stably transfected PE cells shows an extensive network of elastic fibers that stain positively for tropoelastin and the three microfibril components MAGP, fibrillin-1, and fibrillin-2. Consistent with that seen in the FBC cultures (see Figure 2), the tropoelastin assembled in the matrix has a beaded appearance.