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Figure 4 | Breast Cancer Research

Figure 4

From: Malignant myoepithelial cells are associated with the differentiated papillary structure and metastatic ability of a syngeneic murine mammary adenocarcinoma model

Figure 4

Morphology and cellular composition of spheroids formed in a three-dimensional growth assay. LM38-LP cells (left panels) formed glandular-like smooth-bordered spheroids, whereas LM38-HP cells (right panels) grew in loose irregular clusters. Cells positive for pancytokeratins (pan-CK; upper panels) formed a polarized epithelial layer surrounding a kind of lumen in LM38-LP spheroids, but were disorganized in LM38-HP clusters. In LM38-LP spheroids myoepithelial cells, stained for either cytokeratin 14 (CK14) or α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA; lower panels), were found as a basal cell layer (arrow) surrounding luminal epithelial cells or occupying the spheroid core in an inside-out display (arrowhead). Some CK14-positive myoepithelial cells were found intermingled in LM38-HP clusters (arrow). Inset: Double staining of LM38-LP spheroids: α-SMA (light brown), pan-CK (blue), nuclei (red). (Original magnification ×400; scale bar, 35 μm.)

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Breast Cancer Research

ISSN: 1465-542X

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