Figure 8

PlasDIC micrographs of HeLa cells after a 24 hour exposure. (a) DMSO (vehicle control) exposure demonstrated confluent growth of HeLa cells. Cells were mostly in interphase. (b) Tamoxifen exposure (positive autophagy control) demonstrated a reduction in cell density and an increase in vacuolar structures and cell protrusions (cell distress). (c) Actinomycin D exposure (positive apoptosis control) resulted in a reduction in cell density, apoptotic bodies, shrunken cells, ghost cells and cellular debris. (d) HeLa cells exposed to 0.5 μM ESE-16, demonstrating the hallmarks of metaphase block and apoptosis. (Arrow colour key: orange = nucleoli; blue = vacuolar structures; yellow = rounded cells in metaphase; red = cell protrusion; white = apoptotic bodies).