Figure 1

Analysis of cell morphology and effect of PTX on high-density cell cultures. (A) Typical morphological appearance of PTX untreated UKHN-6 cells. (B-E) Dose-dependent morphological alterations of the carcinoma cells. (B) At 1 ng/ml PTX the cells begin to disintegrate, reflected by initiation of cellular swelling (arrows). (C) Swelling process is advanced in all cells at 2 ng/ml PTX. (D) Cellular damage is spreading throughout the cells at 3 ng/ml PTX, shown by high grade of flattening. (E) At 4 ng/ml PTX cells are detached from the culture surface and are completely destroyed (F), whereas no morphological changes are recognizable in normal epithelial cells at this concentration (F). (G) Release of LDH from carcinoma cells (▲) and normal epithelial cells (Δ) shown in Fig. B-E and F respectively. (H and I) Effect of PTX on high-density cell cultures utelising cytotoxicity and clonogenic assays. UKHN-1 (○), UKHN-2 (●), and UKHN-3 (□) tumor cells, and normal epithelial cells (■) were used. (H) Cell survival was determined by using the crystal violet assay. Percentages indicate the amount of surviving cells after treatment with different PTX concentrations. (I) Percent survival of PTX treated cells shown in H. Data represent the mean ± SD of triplicate experiments.