Extracellular matrixes influence alpha-smooth muscle actin expression in cultured porcine lens epithelial cells.
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.
Kurosaka
D
D
Keio University School of Medicine Department of Ophthalmology Tokyo, Japan. kurosaka@mc.med.keio.ac.jp
Kato
K
K
Oshima
T
T
Kurosaka
H
H
Yoshino
M
M
Ogata
M
M
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
D000199:Actins; D005353:Fibronectins; D007797:Laminin; D003094:Collagen