Fig. 2.

Asymmetric patterns polarize immobilized cells. (A) The Golgi and the centrosome are located closer to the half of a cell with the blunt end. We used phallodin, antigolgin, DAPI, antitubulin, and antipericentrin to identify actin (red), the Golgi (green), the nucleus (blue), microtubules (red), and the centrosome (green), respectively. The green arrows indicate the location of centrosomes in 3T3 cells and Golgi in human umbilical artery endothelial cells (HUAEC). (B) We divided the cell into a half with the sharp end and a half with the blunt end by a vertical line drawn at the centroid of the nucleus; >80% (n = 30) of the centrosomes and Golgi were localized in the region of the wide end. (C) The lamellipodia of immobilized 3T3 cells tended to extend more from the blunt end as well (arrowhead). The dotted line indicates the edges of the adhesive pattern.