Fig. 1
Matrix softness enhances stemness genes in HeLa TRCs and differentially expressed TFs/miRNAs. a Representative images of a single HeLa cell growing into a multicellular tumor spheroid in different stiffnesses (90, 420, or 1050 Pa) 3D fibrin gels cultured from day 1 to day 7. Scale bar, 50 μm. b, c Colony number and size of HeLa TRCs in different 3D gels with culture time from day 1 to day 7. d TRCs (90-Pa 3D gels) perform higher invasion and migration ability than HeLa 2D. Representative images (left) and quantification of ten randomly selected fields (right) are shown. e Expressions of stem cell markers in HeLa 2D and HeLa TRCs (90 Pa, day 3) were quantified by real-time PCR. f Heatmap of differentially expressed TFs, scale from blue to red indicates the expression level from low to high. g Heatmap of continuously changed genes and miRNAs. Mean ± s.e.m., n = 3 independent experiments except for c where n = 10. Asterisks in b and c are compared with 90-Pa group. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001; ns, not significantly different (Student’s t test)
