Different Substrates Influence the Expression of Intermediate Filaments and the Deposition of Basement Membrane Proteins

• Published in: In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology 1988-03, Vol.24 (3), p.183-187
• Main Authors: Liscia, Daniel S., Amelia Bernardi, Bona Griselli, Alberto P. M. Cappa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal cells; Basement Membrane - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; Cell Count; Cell culture techniques; Cell cultures. Hybridization. Fusion; Cell Division; Cell growth; Cell lines; Collagen; Collagens; Cultured cells; Cystadenocarcinoma; Cystadenocarcinoma - metabolism; Cystadenocarcinoma - ultrastructure; Cytoskeleton - ultrastructure; Epithelial cells; Epithelium - metabolism; Epithelium - ultrastructure; Establishment of new cell lines, improvement of cultural methods, mass cultures; Eukaryotic cell cultures; Extracellular Matrix - metabolism; Female; Fibronectins - biosynthesis; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gels; Humans; Intermediate Filament Proteins - biosynthesis; Intermediate filaments; Intermediate Filaments - metabolism; Intermediate Filaments - ultrastructure; Keratins - biosynthesis; Laminin - biosynthesis; Membrane Proteins - metabolism; Methods. Procedures. Technologies; Middle Aged; Molecular and cellular biology; Ovarian Neoplasms - metabolism; Ovarian Neoplasms - ultrastructure; Space life sciences; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Vimentin; Vimentin - biosynthesis
• ISSN: 0883-8364; 2327-431X; 1475-2689
• DOI: 10.1007/bf02623544

A primary culture of serous cystadenocarcinoma of the ovary was used to study the expression of intermediate filament proteins and the deposition of basal lamina proteins. It was found that cells grown on type I and IV collagens or in collagen gels failed to express vimentin, which was readily demonstrable in cultures of the same cells grown on plastic or glass. Furthermore cells grown in collagen gels formed colonics demonstrating a cystic architecture. Unlike what is commonly observed on glass or plastic, where laminin and fibronectin are deposited as disorganized fibrils in the extracellular space, in or on collagen these proteins appear solely at the interface between the epithelial cells and matrix. The results suggest that the extracellular matrix influences the cytoskeletal organization of the intermediate filaments and determines cell polarity. They confirm that collagen substrates permit epithelial cell cultures to progress toward a more differentiated state.