Figure 3. Morphologic changes under an inverted phase-contrast microscope in HPMCs exposed to 5.6 mM glucose (NG), NG + mannitol (94.4 mM, NG+M), NG+1 µM simvastatin (NG + statin), high glucose (100 mM, HG), or HG+1 µM simvastatin (HG + statin).

The cobblestone-like appearance of HPMCs was converted into a fibroblast-like morphology 72 hr after HG treatment, which was reversed by simvastatin (×40).