Fig. 2

Compression promoted matrix degradation in MDA-MB-231 cells. a Schematic diagram of the experiment. Cells grown on a glass-bottom dish coated with FITC-conjugated gelatin for 8 h were covered with 1% of agarose gel and compressed with a specific weight. b Representative images (red: actin, green: gelatin) of compression-promoted gelatin degradation at the ventral side of the cell. Gelatin degradation was visualized by confocal microscopy (60X) as disappearance of green fluorescence. Inset images are magnified views of the boxed regions. c The fold change of gelatin degradation area under different treatment conditions (treated with GsMTx4, Piezo1 KD, or GM6001) as a function of compression normalized to gelatin degradation area at control (Ctr) groups; Data were presented as means ± s.e.m., n = 3, ^** p < 0.01 versus control groups, ## and $$ represent p < 0.01 versus 400 Pa and 600 Pa groups in wild type (WT), respectively