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Studies on cellular adhesion-aggregation

Authors :
Bryn M. Jones
Peter M. Evans
Source :
Experimental Cell Research. 88:56-62
Publication Year :
1974
Publisher :
Elsevier BV, 1974.

Abstract

Studies were made on the aggregation of trypsin-dissociated cells from chick embryos in the presence of Concanavalin A, a jackbean lectin, in its native tetrameric agglutinating form (n-ConA) and in a fragmented non-agglutinating form (t-ConA). The t-ConA was prepared by first trypsinizing native ConA and then subjecting the mixture to separation procedures to obtain and pool those fractions which failed completely to agglutinate cells. The presence of ConA in these fractions was demonstrated by equilibrium dialysis experiments using α-methyl- d -glycopyranoside which binds specifically to ConA. The agglutination of cells was conspicuously less in the presence of t-ConA + n-ConA than when n-ConA was added alone. The implication is that t-ConA competed with the untreated n-ConA for the same cell surface receptor sites and blocked them. The t-ConA at a final concentration of 200 μg/ml markedly inhibited the spontaneous aggregation of dissociated embryonic chick cells; the viability of these cells was unimpaired. This inhibitory effect was brought about by the t-ConA reacting with ConA sugar receptor sites. The results are correlated with current views on the possible way in which carbohydrates may be involved in cell-cell adhesion and a tentative explanation of how the t-ConA may be exerting its effect is put forward.

Details

ISSN :
00144827
Volume :
88
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Experimental Cell Research
Accession number :
edsair.doi...........4b7efc6d661455bac12437b8ec131c2f
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1016/0014-4827(74)90617-x