Fig. 5.

Fibroblast-like cells differentiated from mES cells (CGR8) on protein treated parylene-C and SiO₂ substrates. Red, green and blue fluorescence denote F-actin, vinculin and nuclear (DAPI) staining, respectively on Fn (A), albumin (B) and Fn/albumin (C) coated parylene-C; Fn (D), albumin (E) and Fn/albumin (F) coated SiO₂. Focal adhesions (white arrows) are more pronounced in Fn coated parylene-C and SiO₂ (A and D) and appear as elongated areas of green fluorescence. No cells were detected on albumin coated parylene-C (B). On albumin coated SiO₂ (E) vinculin is diffused throughout the cytoplasm, which denotes the absence of focal adhesions and lack of cell attachment to the ECM. The co-adsorption of Fn and albumin on parylene-C (C) and SiO₂ (F) results in focal adhesion formation only on the SiO₂, due to the absence of Fn from parylene-C.