Fig. 3
Alterations of tight junctions structure by depletion of ZO-1 and ZO-2 elevates polarized epithelial tension. a Phase contrast image showing the AFM cantilever with microbead (dashed circle) and the MDCK II polarized monolayer. b In ZO-1/ZO-2 dKD in MDCK II Tet-off cells the apical surface epithelial tension dramatically increases. In ZO1R(U) dKD cells the apical surface epithelial tension is significantly elevated when compared to control, but the tension is partially restored when ZO1R(I) dKD cells are expressing a Tet-inducible full-length ZO-1 rescue transgene. U, ( + dox, uninduced); I, (−dox, induced). Data are represented as mean ± s.d.; * indicates significant difference in comparison with control P < 0.05 (unpaired two-tailed Student’s t-test with Welch’s correction); number of measurements pooled for 2–3 independent experiments for each condition, n = 28, 25, 26, and 23 for control, ZO-1/ZO-2 dKD, ZO1R(U), and ZO1R(I), respectively
