Fig. 9.

Radial matrix displacement as a function of distance from the inner rim (a–c). Data were collected by tiling of microscopic images. Attached cells were used as markers, and displacement was determined from the change in perpendicular distance between the cells and inner rim over a 2 h period. Substantial variation was found in local displacement, notably in the presence of L682777. The displacement between 8 and 10 h (b) best illustrates that radial compaction (i.e., the slope of the displacement curve) proceeds throughout the gel rather than being a boundary phenomenon. Data were grouped from multiple cells in 500 μm intervals in up to three gels, error bars indicate SEM between gels, grey squares indicate multiple cells from a single gel. Analysis of circumferential displacement between pairs of cells revealed substantial variation and no differences from zero (data not shown)