title: Extracellular matrixes influence alpha-smooth muscle actin expression in cultured porcine lens epithelial cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether extracellular matrix (ECM) influences the expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA), a marker for myofibroblasts, in cultured porcine lens epithelial cells (LECs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Porcine LECs were cultured for 6 days in an F-12 nutrient mixture supplemented with 5% fetal bovine serum on wells that were coated with laminin, fibronectin, type I collagen, or type IV collagen. LECs cultured on uncoated wells served as a control. Alpha-SMA was detected immunocytochemically with a mouse monoclonal antibody, and the ratio of the number of alpha-SMA-positive cells to the total number of cells, the P/T ratio, was calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The P/T ratio of the LECs on the uncoated dishes was about 5%. LECs cultured on wells coated with laminin or type IV collagen significantly reduced the ratio, whereas fibronectin or type I collagen had no effect.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ECM influences alpha-SMA expression in cultured porcine LECs.
authors.affiliation: Keio University School of Medicine Department of Ophthalmology Tokyo, Japan. kurosaka@mc.med.keio.ac.jp
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kurosaka
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oshima
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kurosaka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshino
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ogata
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002452:Cell Count; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007797:Laminin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013552:Swine; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D005353:Fibronectins; D007797:Laminin; D003094:Collagen