THE REORGANIZATION OF CYTOSKELETAL FIBER SYSTEMS IN SPREADING PORCINE ENDOTHELIAL-CELLS IN CULTURE

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 24  (1) , 36-44
Abstract
Porcine aortic endotehlial cells spreading on a glass substrate undergo characteristic changes in shape which can be classified into 4 distinct stages. To study the role of the cytoskeleton in cell spreading, the distribution of microtubules (MT), microfilaments (MF) and intermediate filaments (IF) was examined at each of these stages by using immunofluorescence and antisera specific for tubulin, tropomyosi, myosin, and vimentin. The small round stage I cells showed diffuse staining with all 4 antisera. In the more flattened spreading stage II cells, MT and IF were first observed in the perinuclear region while fibers staining positively for tropomyosin and myosin were first seen along the cell margin. Later the MT began to radiate in all directions from the perinuclear region while the IF became localized in a region on 1 side of the nucleus. In the very flat stage III cells with a circular outline, additional MT would be seen along and parallel to the cell margin while the IF emanating from the perinuclear region and the tropomyosin and myosin positive fibers became concentrically distributed around the nucleus. In the very flat asymmetric stage IV cells, both the MT and IF radiated from the perinuclear region towards the cell periphery while most of the tropomyosin and myosin-positive fibers became reorganized so that they ran parallel to the edges of the cell. Several loci from which a number of the tropomyosin and myosin-containing fibers radiated appeared at this stage. During spreading each of the 3 major fiber systems undergo extensive and specific reorganization which is well coordinated with changes in cell shape.

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