title: Cytoplasmic topography of focal contacts.
abstract: To investigate the structure of focal contacts, the cytoplasmic faces of fibroblast membranes were examined in solution by scanning force and immunofluorescence microscopy. Focal contacts were identified in scanning force topographs by correlation with fluorescence images. Finer details were resolved in topographs of the focal contacts than in fluorescence micrographs. Increased separation of ventral plasma membranes from the substrate correlated with the duration of cell culture. The cytoplasmic projections of the focal contacts also increased with the cell culture period. These changes accompanied lateral spreading of fibroblasts during a period of several hours after seeding cells in culture medium.
authors.affiliation: San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dunlap
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cattelino
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: de Curtis
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Valtorta
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002642:Chick Embryo; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000379:methods; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D016596:Vinculin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D016596:Vinculin