Fig. 8. Myr-Chat-expressing cells show a highly enlarged cell area. NIH 3T3 cells were transfected with indicated pIRES-EGFP-based expression plasmids. Phase-contrast images (left column) and fluorescence images (middle column) of EGFP-positive cells are shown. The cell area of transfected cells was evaluated from the fluorescence-emitting region of EGFP-positive cells and represented as histograms on the right column (EGFP, n=52, MED=1335.6 µm²; Chat, n=44, MED=1266.3 µm²; Myr-Chat, n=39, MED=1748.0 µm²; Myr-CT, n=45, MED=1209.5 µm²). Membrane-targeted Myr-Chat expression induced cell elongation, which was frequently accompanied by a branched morphology. These cells also showed increased cell area value compared with control pIRES-EGFP-transfectants. Wild-type Chat-transfectants did not show any apparent morphological alterations. Myr-Chat-CT also did not show the cell area enlarging activity. Bar, 10 µm.