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Figure 1 | BMC Cancer

Figure 1

From: Global gene expression analysis in time series following N-acetyl L-cysteine induced epithelial differentiation of human normal and cancer cells in vitro

Figure 1

Scanning electron micrographs showing the effect of NAC treatment on the morphology of NHEK (A) and Caco-2 (B) cells. A1) NHEK untreated controls show a heterogeneous polygonal morphology, with a villous surface and relatively broad intercellular space; A2) After 72 h with 2 mM NAC cells grow flat in a thin monolayer with a regular polygonal morphology and a smooth surface with loss of the fine microvillous structure, also showing dramatically reduced intercellular space. B1) Proliferating Caco-2 cells display an irregular morphology with scarce microvillous structures and large intercellular space; B2) After 72 h with 2 mM NAC Caco-2 cells had the morphology of end-stage differentiated cells, with a regularly polygonal and about three times thicker than controls, with a relevant number of brush border microvilli at the cell surface (black arrows) as well as a dramatically reduced intercellular space (white arrows). Bars: 20 μm

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