Figure 6
From: Breast fibroblasts modulate epithelial cell proliferation in three-dimensional in vitro co-culture
Relative 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) indices of MCF10A cells in co-culture with varying quantities of normal breast-associated fibroblast NAF-2 and carcinoma-associated fibroblast CAF-1. With increasing numbers of NAF-2, the mean rate of proliferation of co-cultured MCF10A cells increased, with a significant difference in BrdU-labeling index observed between a ratio of epithelial cells to fibroblasts (E:F) of 2:1 versus an E:F of 1:3 (P < 0.05). With increasing numbers of CAF-1, the mean rate of proliferation was highest at an E:F of 1:1. The rate of proliferation at an E:F of 1:1 was significantly higher than that at an E:F of 2:1 (P < 0.05). At an E:F of 1:3, CAF-1 caused a decreased proliferation of and enhanced cell death of MCF10A cells.