Nonmuscle myosin II regulates migration but not contraction in rat hepatic stellate cells

Figure 1 Relative mRNA and protein expression of nonmuscle myosin II-A, II-B and II-C in hepatic stellate cells. A: mRNA expression of all isoforms was assessed in quiescent and culture-activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) (Day 1 and Day 14) by RealTime PCR. mRNA expression of all isoforms was normalized to total cDNA concentration. (^aP < 0.05; ^bP < 0.001 as compared to quiescent). B: Protein expression of all three NMM II isoforms was determined in quiescent and culture-activated HSCs (Day 1 and Day 14) by an actin-selection assay and subsequent Western blot analysis. Sample lysates were equalized for protein concentration using the bradford method and incubated with F-actin (10 mmol/L). (+ Ctrl; Rat-1 fibroblast cell line). Top panel: representative Western blots. Bottom panel: Western blot quantification using band intensity. (^aP < 0.05 as compared to quiescent).