Basal lamina glycoproteins are produced by neuroblastoma cells

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Abstract
Murine neuroblastoma cells have been widely used as a model system for neuronal cells as they can be induced to differentiate in culture by various stimuli, such as dibutyryl cyclic AMP (dbcAMP)1, prostaglandin2, and serum starvation3. The cells respond with assembly of microtubules, leading to neurite outgrowth4,5, with increased activity of neuronal-specific enzymes, tyrosine hydroxvlase, choline acetyltransferase and acetylcholine-esterase6,7, and synthesis of neurotransmitters8. The differentiated cells lose tumorigenicity9. Cell-to-substratum adhesion is evidently crucial for neurone extension in vitro10. Neurite outgrowth is induced by treatments that increase cell-to-substratum adhesion in some neuronal cell cultures11,12. We have now identified the major high molecular weight proteins synthesized and secreted by murine C1300 neuroblastoma cells as fibronectin, laminin and type IV procollagen, of which the latter two were also found to be deposited in pericellular matrix form.