Fig 2.

Morphological features of cell plating and growth. Monolayers of Vero, HaCaT, and RPE cells were plated at different densities. Typical images of live confluent monolayers (panels i to iii) or subconfluent (panels iv to ix) monolayers are shown. Images were recorded using a ×40 lens (panels i to iii and vii to ix) or ×10 objective lens (panels iv to vi). For the HaCaT cell panels, large arrows indicate small islands of adherent and flattened cells, whereas small arrows indicate individual rounded cells that have not flattened completely. For Vero and RPE cells, the individual cells flattened readily and then divided into islands, whereas for HaCaT cells, the individual cells remained rounded and poorly spread until present with neighboring cells to form islands.