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. 2020 Oct 26;10(26):12127–12143. doi: 10.7150/thno.52450

Figure 4.

Figure 4

3D environment boosts the formation of functional networks of cells. A) Fluorescence images of the 3D cellular networks of HCT116 cells cultured on 3D scaffolds (middle row) and hydrogel (bottom row), and a schematic illustration displaying the corresponding formation mechanism. B) The quantity of cells in (A) measured in the defined area, represents a change in the volume of cell aggregates during cell growth. C) Vascular-like cavity structure in HCT116 cells cultured on 3D scaffolds, formed at later stages of culture. D) Gene expression of integrin-β1 in tumor cells cultured in 2D and 3D environments. E) Formation of a 3D tumor tissue (containing three cell types: HCT116 cells, CAFs, and TECs). F) Vascular-like cavity structures in the tumor tissues, formed at the early stages of culture (green = live cells, white arrows = cavity structures, scale bar = 100 µm in (A), (C), and (F). Scale bar = 200 µm in (E)). *p < 0.05. All values represent means ± SD, n = 5.