Correlation of Contractility and Proliferative Potential with the Extent of Differentiation in Mouse Fibroblastic Cell Lines Cultured in Collagen Lattices

Four types of fibroblastic cell lines at various stage of differentiation, which had been derived from syngeneic mice, were cultured in collagen lattices (reconstituted dermis model). Lattice contraction, growth in the lattice, and cell morphology were compared. The following cell lines were used: [I] precrisis cells within several subcultures derived from the skin of Balb/c mice, [II] an established normal cell line derived from syngeneic mice (Balb/3T3 clone A31), and [III] two transformed lines (Balb/3T12-3, 3T3-B-SV40) originating from [II]. The cells adopted a bipolar spindle form in the collagen lattice. Lattice contraction was the most marked with cell type [I] followed in order by [II] and [III]. Relative growth in the lattice occurred in the reverse order (III greater than II greater than I). These findings suggested a correlation between lattice contraction and growth in the lattice and also between the extent of differentiation and lattice contraction.