title: Cell adhesion on model substrata: threshold effects and receptor modulation.
abstract: Trypsinized BHK cells become attached to glass that has been derivatized with a variety of lectins with well-defined specificity for cell-surface carbohydrates. Provided a threshold concentration of glass-immobilized protein is present the cells undergo a transformation to a well-spread morphology. The matrix density of lectins (ricin and concanavalin A) required to trigger this morphological transformation is higher by 10 to 40-fold thant the value determined earlier (Hughes, Pena, Clark & Dourmashkin, 1979) for fibronectin. Cells resistant to the toxic lectin, ricin, and expressing 10% or less of ricin-binding carbohydrate groups at their cell surfaces require correspondingly greater matrix densities of ricin to promote active cell spreading. All cell lines spread equally well on concanavalin A-based matrices consistent with their similar binding properties. The quantitative interaction of complementary molecules on the cell surface and matrix, promoting cell adhesion, is demonstrated by these results and a model is proposed for the events leading to a well-spread cell morphology on a protein-coated substratum.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D006224:Cricetinae; D007668:Kidney / Q000166:cytology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D011975:Receptors, Mitogen / Q000378:metabolism; D012276:Ricin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011975:Receptors, Mitogen; D003208:Concanavalin A; D012276:Ricin