Figure 5.

PAD numbers, sizes, and centromere clustering in ST control cells. (A) The relationship between the reciprocal value (n⁻¹) of the average unraveled a number of the H3K9me3-chromocenters per cell (reciprocal value on the y axis) and a proxy of their perimeter (square root of chromocenter area on the x axis) from merged data of three independent experiments. The 1/n power-law scaling with the size of the chromocenters is a signature of scale-free distribution (lack of a characteristic chromocenter size), indicating that the chromocenters change their numbers in a cell by splitting and fusion the constant proportion of the constitutive pericentromeric heterochromatin. (B) the number of centromeres versus individual PAD area; the distribution follows a linear relationship indicating centromere clustering in PADs of ST control cells. (C) The power-law distribution of PAD’s average number versus average size per cell recorded by epifluorescence microscopy resolution in 406 ST control cells, an area of critical transition is encircled; (D) the number of individual PADs versus their area follows an exponentially decreasing relation, mostly embracing the PADs with the size below 5–6 µm².