Fibronectin fetal cells

It is of interest that proteins termed motility factors (55-70 kD) are secreted by fetal cells and some tumor cells. These proteins act as autocrine factors and stimulate rapid movement by these cells. Motility factors induce the formation of cell processes that are packed with actin filaments and have an increased number of receptors for the matrix proteins laminin and fibronectin. The latter enhance the ability of the cells to bind to the extracellular matrix. Thus, it is likely that motility factors influence the organization of the cytoskeleton through changes taking place at the cell surface (reviewed by Warn and Dowrick, 1989). 

Protein adsorption is the first event that takes place on material surfaces when blood or other body fluids are brought into contact with any material. Therefore, cell - material interactions must be discussed by taking into consideration the species and the nature of the protein adsorbed on the material surfaces. For instance, a series of cell-attachment and spreading experiments [11] of fibroblasts on the surface of modified polystyrene (TCP and Primaria) carried out in the presence of fetal calf serum (FCS) showed that FCS contains components which tend to decrease the attachment and spreading of fibroblast cells. The effect of these nonadhesive components was only evident when the FCS was depleted of vitronectin, showing that vitronectin overcomes the effect of these nonadhesive components and promotes cell-attachment and spreading on the polystyrene surface. Fibronectin, on the other hand, does not play a principal role in this fibroroblast adhesive process (Fig. 2). 

Zijlstra, A., and Schelling, M. E. 1999. Detection of multiple fibronectin isoforms in fetal fibroblast monolayer culture A novel method for the qualitative and quantitative detection of multiple antigens. Hislochem. Cell Biol. 777 163-169. 

Fragments are plated onto fibronectin coated dishes. In order to select for proximal tubular cells initial growth medium contains no additional glucose to that contained in fetal calf serum. Also L-valine is replaced with D-valine to prevent fibroblast growth. 

Ma Y. Lockwood CJ, Bunim AL, Giussani DA, Nathanielsz PW. GuUer S. Cell type-specific regulation of fetal fibronectin expression in amnion conservation of glucocorticoid responsiveness in human and nonhuman primates. Biol Reprod 2000 62(6) 1812—1817. 

Schor, S.L., Ehis, I.R., Jones, S.J., Baillie, R., Seneviratne, K. et al.. Migration-stimulating factor a genetically truncated onco-fetal fibronectin isoform expressed by carcinoma and tumor-associated stromal cells. Cancer Res., 2003,63 8827-8836. 

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