Fusion of Cloudman S91 melanoma cells with macrophages results in hybrids with increased metastatic potential. Here, we report that such hybrids acquire new pathways for motility. Compared to parental melanoma cells and low metastatic hybrids, the metastatic hybrids showed far stronger responses to 3T3- and lung fibroblast-conditioned media, primary lung slices, fibronectin (FN), and a Mr 120,0...

Composite electrodes made of the polysaccharide agarose and carbon nanotube fibers (A-CNE) have shown potential to be applied as tissue-compatible, micro-electronic devices. In the present work, A-CNEs were functionalized using neuro-relevant proteins (laminin and alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone) and implanted in brain tissue for 1 week (acute response) and 4 weeks (chronic response). Qual...

Skin pigmentation is an important human phenotypic trait whose regulation, in spite of recent advances, has not yet been fully understood. The pigment melanin is produced in melanosomes by melanocytes in a complex process called melanogenesis. The melanocyte interacts with endocrine, immune, inflammatory and central nervous systems, and its activity is also regulated by extrinsic factors such a...

Cell interactions with the extracellular matrix play a critical role in regulating complex processes such as terminal differentiation and tumor progression. In these studies we describe a melanoma cell system that should be useful in addressing the regulation of cell-matrix interactions and the roles they play in regulating differentiation and cell invasiveness. CS (suspension)-1 melanoma cells...