Neurite outgrowth from dorsal root ganglion (DRG) explants is a method of evaluating neurotrophic activity of growth factors. When complete medium containing collagen was supplemented with nerve growth factor (NGF) DRG outgrowth was observed after 18 h. In the absence of NGF and in the presence of collagen, the DRG outgrowth took place after 72 h. In wells not supplemented with collagen gel in ...

We have examined the cell-to-substratum attachment surface of hamster fibroblasts with scanning EM, and describe the surface ultrastructure of focal contacts and microspikes during cellular attachment and spreading on fibronectin. Nil 8 fibroblasts were seeded onto fibronectin-coated glass coverslips in serum-free medium, fixed, and the fibroblast-fibronectin monolayer was separated from the gl...

The intraperitoneal injection of pristane (2,6,10,14-tetramethylpentadecane) produces an environment conductive to primary plasmacytoma growth in as few as 3 days. After pristane injection, the total free peritoneal cell population increases from a normal value of 1.55 X 10(6) to 5.28 X 10(6) and remains at this elevated level for at least 50 days. The adherent peritoneal cell population, compo...

Bacterial adhesion to tooth surfaces or dental materials starts immediately upon exposure to the oral environment. The aim of this study, therefore, was to compare the adhesion of Streptococcus sanguinis to saliva-coated human enamel and dental materials - during a one-hour period - using an in vitro flow chamber system which mimicked the oral cavity. After fluorescent staining, the number of a...

Fibronectin is a family of immunologically similar glycoproteins which mediate a variety of cell-cell and cell-substratum interac tions. It is a constituent of the extracellular matrix of connective tissue and circulates in plasma. When suspension and adherent cultures of a human hepatoma cell line (SK-HEP-1) were incu bated in serum-free medium, the resulting conditioned medium contained mater...

Fibronectin is a family of immunologically similar glycoproteins which mediate a variety of cell-cell and cell-substratum interactions. It is a constituent of the extracellular matrix of connective tissue and circulates in plasma. When suspension and adherent cultures of a human hepatoma cell line (SK-HEP-1) were incubated in serum-free medium, the resulting conditioned medium contained materia...

L. monocytogenes adherence to food-associated abiotic surfaces and the development of biofilms as one of the underlying reasons for the contamination of ready-to-eat products is well known. The over-expression of internalins that improves adherence has been noted in cells growing as attached cells or at elevated incubation temperatures. However, the role of other internalin-independent surface ...

We have studied the reorganization of vinculin and alpha-actinin during the process of adhesion in human neutrophils using immunofluorescence microscopy and interference reflection microscopy (IRM). Neutrophils in contact with uncoated glass formed black IRM areas in the cell periphery, indicative of very close contact with the substratum. Eight to twelve minutes after addition of cells to glas...

Although the IGD amino acid motif (iso-gly-asp) is a highly conserved feature of the fibronectin type I module, no biological activity has as yet been ascribed to it. We have previously reported that the gelatin-binding domain of fibronectin stimulates the migration of human skin fibroblasts into native, but not denatured, type I collagen substrata. Two IGD-containing type I modules are present...

The 3-dimensional structure of the fibrous cytoskeleton of 3T3 cells was examined by scanning electron microscopy of cells extracted with the non-ionic detergent Triton X-100. Detergent-extracted cells consist of the nucleus and an extensive system of fibres, the largest of which correspond to stress fibres visible by phase-contrast microscopy. The system of fibres, which is coterminous with th...