Fig. 6. Effects of cytochalasin D on living corneal fibroblasts plated on top of a fibrillar collagen matrix. The red tracks show ECM displacements, and GFP-zyxin is shown in green. (A) A cell after 140 minutes of time-lapse imaging in complete media. (B) Within three minutes after adding cytochalasin D to the media, cell elongation and ECM relaxation were observed (red tracks). This was most dramatic near the front of the cell. Although the cell body moved forward, decompression of the ECM behind the lamellipodium was still observed (compare length of arrows in A and B). Coincident with ECM relaxation, the intensity and clarity of the adhesions was significantly reduced. (C) After reperfusion with complete media, the adhesions reformed and the ECM was pulled back in (yellow tracks, and arrow). Bar, 10 µm.

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