Figure 2.

Heparanase/chondroitinase and MMP-7 enzymatic processing of perlecan favors cell substratum versus cell-cell adhesion. C4-2B cells were seeded onto various types of perlecan and control samples pre-adsorbed to the plate and imaged by bright field microscopy and then stained for F-actin (green) and nuclei (blue) after 1 hour. Perlecan digested with a mixture of heparitinase and chondroitinase ABC (H/C) (panels D–F) or MMP-7 (panels G–I) adhered to the plates within one hour and remained attached through the staining procedure (E,F and H,I). Neither intact perlecan (A), MMP-7 alone (B), nor H/C mixture alone (C) supported this rapid adherence to substratum, and cells remained round or formed loose clusters. Boxed insets provide an enlarged image to show cell morphology. Scalebars: 100 µm for A-D and G; 50 µm for E and H; 25 µm for F and I.