Figure 6. . MCF-12A and Hs 578Bst co-cultured cells form bilayered acini in Matrigel.

(A–C) Confocal microscopy images of MCF-12A and Hs 578Bst cells forming a 3D bilayered acini when co-cultured in Matrigel. Acini were immunolabeled with an E-cadherin-specific antibody (green) and an smooth muscle actin-specific antibody (red). Nuclei are stained with 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (blue). Representative single confocal image (A), serial Z-stack (B) and a truncated view of a Z-strac (C). The myoepithelial-like cells Hs 578Bst have a stellate phenotype, forming a discontinuous basket-like network around the MCF-12A luminal cells. The truncated view suggests the presence of a lumen in the center of the bilayered acini. Scalebar: 100 μm.