FIG. 1.

F. nucleatum preferentially binds to marginal cells of artificial epithelial wounds and increases their migration. Scratch wounds were created to confluent HaCaT cell cultures, and F. nucleatum cells were added to the culture medium (260 bacteria per cell) for different time periods. Epifluorescence of cultures detected with anti-F. nucleatum antibody after 6 h (A), 24 h (B) and 48 h (C). Light microscopic images of wounds at 48 h in the presence of TGF-β indicate faster closure of the epithelial wound sheets in F. nucleatum-treated cultures than in control cultures (D).