Figure 6. Changing migration of Nrf1α^−/− cells to close the in vitro scratch.

HepG2 (Nrf1α^+/+) and HEA157 (Nrf1α^−/−) cells were starved for 12 h in a serum-free medium and then treated for additional 6 h with 1 μg/ml of mitomycin C. Subsequently, a clear ‘scratch’ was created before being allowed for being healed in the continuous culture at 37 °C with 5% CO2. The scratched images were captured at the beginning and at 12-h intervals during cell migration to close the scratch (a), followed by quantification of the cell migration (b,c). The results were calculated as a fold change (mean ± S.D.) of the scratched gap distance (b) and fold migration (c) of Nrf1α^−/−cells, which are shown as a representative of at least three independent experiments undertaken on separate occasions that were each performed in triplicate. (b,c) Significant decreases (*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, n = 9) and significant increases (^$p < 0.05, n = 9) are indicated, relative to the corresponding control values measured from wild-type (Nrf1α^+/+) HepG2 cells. The double arrows indicate the gap distance after the ‘scratch’ wound.