a,b, Scheme of the experimental setups. For spreading experiments,
cells form a monolayer within the circular opening of a PDMS membrane. After 8
hours in the dexamethasone-containing medium, the PDMS membrane is removed and
the monolayer spreads on the collagen-coated substrate (a). For
confined monolayers, cells are seeded in circular islands of collagen on the
substrate and allowed to cover them for 3 hours. Dexamethasone is then added to
induce E-cadherin expression and time-lapse imaging starts (b).
c, Quantification of E-cadherin upon addition of dexamethasone
(inset, up to 3 days). Tub = tubulin. d,e, Illustration of traction
forces (d) and monolayer tension (e). f,
Spreading monolayer exhibiting a wetting transition at time t=25h. Scale bar =
100 μm. g-i, Phase contrast images (g), and maps of traction
forces (h) and average normal monolayer tension (i) for a representative
confined cell island of radius 100 μm. Monolayer dewetting starts at
~25 h. Scale bar = 40 μm. j-l, Evolution
of monolayer area (j), mean traction magnitude (k) and mean average normal
monolayer tension (l). Data are presented as mean ± s.e.m. n=18 cell
islands.