title: Mammalian cell growth on collagen-hydrogels.
abstract: Hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA) hydrogels have a peculiar crater-like topography which renders them ideal for studying cell-to-substrate contact formation. Cultured rabbit aortic smooth muscle cells (SMC) were grown on collagen-HEMA hydrogels, and the ultrastructure of developing cell attachment sites was studied. By 3 hours after cell seeding, both the rounded and spreading SMC appeared anchored to the hydrogel via extra-cellular connective tissue-like material. The fully formed attachment site present at 5-8 day was characterized by large bundles of intracellular myofilaments inserting onto areas of increased electron density along the plasmalemmal membrane. Large amounts of extracellular connective tissue-like material also appeared attached to the areas of increased electron density. Fully formed cell substratum attachment sites were not observed when either elastin-HEMA or hydrogels polymerized in the absence of protein were employed. The growth and collagen synthesis by human embryonic lung fibroblasts (IMR-90) and endothelial cells on collagen-HEMA hydrogels and tissue culture plastic were also examined. Although the two cell types grew equally well on the two surfaces, differences in protein synthesis were observed. The procollagen Type I and III ratio synthesized by the fibroblasts remained the same while the ratio synthesized by the endothelial cells varied even though their morphology appeared similar. The fibroblasts synthesized less collagen when grown on collagen-HEMA hydrogels (this effect may be related to age), while the amount of collagen synthesized by the endothelial cells grown on the two surfaces was similar.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002455:Cell Division; D003094:Collagen; D003470:Culture Media; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004727:Endothelium / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000648:ultrastructure; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D003094:Collagen