Fig. 2

Phenotypic sorted cancer cells form in vitro tumor spheroids with differential compaction behavior. A Representative images of in vitro tumor spheroids immediately after seeding (0 h) and before embedding (72 h) with MDA⁺ (green), MDA⁻ (red), and MDA^MIX (1:1 MDA⁺:MDA⁻ co-culture) subpopulations; scale bar: 100 µm. B Compaction curve of MDA⁺, MDA⁻, and MDA^MIX spheroids from 0 to 72 h. C Representative image of fully compacted MDA^MIX spheroid (left) with individual MDA⁺ (green) and MDA⁻ (red) channels shown across spheroid diameter (right); scale bar: 50 µm. D Relative intensity histogram across diameter of MDA^MIX spheroid from (A) at 0 h. E Relative intensity histogram across diameter (white dotted line) of fully compacted MDA^MIX spheroid from (C) at 72 h. F Representative images of in vitro tumor spheroids immediately after seeding (0 h) and before embedding (72 h) with SUM⁺ (green), SUM⁻ (red), and SUM^MIX (1:1 SUM⁺:SUM⁻ co-culture) subpopulations; scale bar: 100 µm. G Compaction curve of SUM⁺, SUM⁻, and SUM^MIX spheroids from 0 to 72 h. H Representative image of fully compacted SUM^MIX spheroid (left) with individual SUM⁺ (green) and SUM⁻ (red) channels shown across spheroid diameter (right); scale bar: 100 µm