FIG. 4.

Cell attachment to extracellular matrix (ECM) protein microarrays. (A) Representative images of HepG2 hepatocytes, LX-2 hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), portal fibroblasts, and bovine aortic endothelial cells cultured on the combinatorial ECM protein arrays. Cell cultures were established overnight, washed, fixed, and then permeabilized and stained using CyQuantNF. Cells were imaged on a GenePix 4200A fluorescent laser scanner. Yellow circle indicates position of fibronectin island. (B) The amount of cells occupying each ECM island was estimated by measuring the total cellular fluorescence and plotted as a function of the underlying ECM material. Cultured cells do not show patterns of differential attachment but HepG2 cells are observed to attach less to fibronectin spots than LX-2 HSCs or portal fibroblasts. Color images available online at www.liebertonline.com/ten.