title: Reversible and irreversible effects of retinol upon the phenotypic properties of embryonal carcinoma cells.
abstract: We have generated an embryonal carcinoma cell line, NR1, which is not growth-inhibited in response to retinol. Although the retinol-treated cells undergo morphological change, show reduced levels of the surface antigen SSEA-1 and possess increased surface reactivity with antifibronectin serum, the extent of phenotypic change of NR1 cells in response to retinol is not so great as that following treatment with retinoic acid. Furthermore, unlike cells from lines such as F9, the retinol-promoted morphological alterations appear to be reversible. The increased adherence of NR1 cells to glass coverslips in the presence of retinol suggests that stronger interaction with the substratum is responsible for the observed alteration in appearance of the cells. It is possible that NR1 cells exposed to retinol progress no further than a reversible, early stage of differentiation. Alternatively, retinol-treated cells might express a group of markers normally associated with, or accompanying, an irreversible, differentiated phenotype even though the cells are not, in fact, undergoing differentiation.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002460:Cell Line; D054278:Embryonal Carcinoma Stem Cells; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D051379:Mice; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D010641:Phenotype; D010960:Plasminogen Activators / Q000378:metabolism; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000954:Antigens, Surface; D014801:Vitamin A; D014212:Tretinoin; D010960:Plasminogen Activators