Transformation by RAS oncogene decreases the width of substrate-spread fibroblasts but not their length.
We compared morphometric parameters of the contours of cells in four pairs of non-transformed mouse and rat lines and of the same lines transformed by oncogenes of the RAS family. As expected, the mean areas of all RAS-transformed lines were much smaller than those of their non-transformed counterparts. At the same time the average length of cell projection did not regularly decrease after transformation. These results show that transformation induced by expression of RAS oncogene selectively affect only one component of spreading, namely transversal spreading and not longitudinal spreading; these changes result in an increase of antero-posterior polarity of transformed fibroblasts.
Kharitonova
Margarita A
MA
Institute of Carcinogenesis, Cancer Research Center of Russian Federation, Kashirskoye shosse 24, 115478 Moscow, Russian Federation. ritasarc@mail.ru
Kopnin
Pavel B
PB
Vasiliev
Jury M
JM
D000818:Animals; D048430:Cell Shape / Q000235:genetics*; D048429:Cell Size; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology*; D011905:Genes, ras / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D010641:Phenotype; D051381:Rats; D014162:Transfection; D018631:ras Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
D018631:ras Proteins