title: Leptomeningeal and skin fibroblasts: two different cell types?
abstract: Leptomeningeal and skin fetal (E16-17) fibroblasts were subcultured in vitro either in DMEM/F12 basal medium (with or without 10% FCS) or in astroglial conditioned medium (ACM). Both populations were characteristically composed of flat, undifferentiated, fibronectin(+), GFAP(-)cells where cultured in fetal serum supplemented basal media. When exposed to ACM leptomeningeal cells developed a population of thin, elongated, fibronectin(+) cells with radial type long processes while skin fibroblasts did not show significant changes in their characteristic morphotype. Exposure to db cAMP in basal medium resulted within 3 hr in their transformation to an astrocytic-like morphotype characterized by a condensed soma and multiple, short processes. Twenty-four hours later skin fibroblasts had returned to their flat appearance while leptomeningeal ones showed elongated, radial-like forms. Results indicate the possible existence of different receptors (to ACM factors) and/or cytoskeletal properties, and suggest that ACM-reactive fibroblasts of leptomeningeal origin represent a different cell type from those of skin origin. The hypothetical role of leptomeningeal cells during brain development is considered.
authors.affiliation: Programa Unidad de Neurobiología Aplicada (PRUNA) (CEMIC-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Napp
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Puissant
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001099:Arachnoid / Q000166:cytology*; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D003994:Bucladesine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002417:Cattle / Q000097:blood; D003470:Culture Media; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D005312:Fetal Blood; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D010841:Pia Mater / Q000166:cytology*; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D005353:Fibronectins; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D003994:Bucladesine