1. Human colon cancer Caco-2/TC7 clone cells expressing the structural and functional characteristics of mature enterocytes of the small intestine.
Human colon cancer Caco-2/TC7 clone cells expressing the structural and functional characteristics of mature enterocytes of the small intestine. Scanning electron microscopy micrographs show an undifferentiated cell at 3 days in culture (A), the short microvilli at the dense brush border in postconfluent cells at 10 days in culture (C), and the well-organized and dense brush border in postconfluent cells at 15 days in culture (D and E). (B) Transmission electron microscopy micrograph shows the polarized organization of postconfluent cells forming a monolayer at 15 days in culture. (F) Transmission electron microscopy micrograph shows the well-ordered brush border microvilli in postconfluent cells at 15 days in culture. (G and H) Confocal laser scanning microscopy examination shows the immunofluorescent labeling of two brush border-associated functional proteins (x-y section). (G) Mosaic pattern of expression of sucrase-isomaltase (SI). (H) Typical punctuate distribution of the glycophosphatidylinositol-anchored glycoprotein decay-accelerating factor (DAF). (I) Increase in expression of SI immunofluorescence labeling and sucrase enzyme activity as a function of days in culture. (J and K) Confocal laser scanning microscopy examination shows the immunofluorescent labeling of TJ-associated ZO-1 localizing at the cell-to-cell contact of the cell monolayer (x-y section in panel J and x-z section in panel K). (L and M) Confocal laser phase-contrast microscopy micrograph (L) and transmission electron microscopy micrograph (M) showing a fluid-forming dome in the cell monolayer.
Vanessa Liévin-Le Moal, and Alain L. Servin Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. 2013; doi: /MMBR