Fig. 4: Human invading matrix resembles scar tissue.

a Schematic representation of human tissue ex vivo assay. Pleural surfaces from human tissue explants where labeled with NHS-FITC and incubated for 24 h. b Representative multiphoton images of NHS-FITC labelled in both peritumor and IPF human lung tissues. Scale bars: 25 µm. n = 5 biological replicates (peritumor human lung tissue or IPF human lung tissue) and 5 independent experiments. A two-sided independent T-test was used for the comparison of two groups (IPF: p = 0.0079)(ns = not significant; **P < 0.01). c Representative high magnification multiphoton images of NHS-FITC labelled in IPF human lung tissues. n = 5 biological replicates (IPF human lung tissue) and 5 independent experiments. Scale bars: 100 µm and 20 µm. d Schematic representation of proteomic identification of NHS-EZ-LINK⁺ transferred human matrix components. e Identified matrisomal proteins in mass spectrometry analysis. f GO enrichments of matrisome proteins identified in mass spectrometry analysis. Moved NHS⁺-ECM shows similarity to atrophic scar tissue. g Identified matrisome proteins in mass spectrometry analysis of NHS-EZ-LINK-Biotin⁺ proteins. Showing which NHS + -ECM elements are enriched in pleura and interstitium after 24 h. n = five biological replicates and 5 independent experiments. Data represented are mean ± SD. Single comparison was performed by two-sided independent T-test (ECM regulators: p = 2.16e-07)(***P < 0.001).