Collagen coating affects cell morphology and differentiation of hepatocarcinoma HepG2 cells

Cell functioning depends on its proliferation which is affected by numerous factors including culture medium, plasticware, presence of cytokines and growth factors. In the present study we have found that hepatocarcinoma HepG2 cells if seeded on collagen-coated plates significantly change morphology. In order to unveil if mitochondrial ROS affect cell morphology and differentiation, we performed RNA profiling using RNAseq analysis. It revealed that cells grown on collagen-coated plates had altered expression of integrins, while pretreatment with mitochondrially-targeted antioxidant SkQ1 prevented changes in their transcription levels.