A Scanning Electron-Microscope Study of the Surface Features of Mammalian Cells In Vitro

1972 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 233-247
Author(s):  
GISELE M. HODGES ◽  
MARJORIE D. MUIR

The cell surface aspects and the density, distribution and morphology of surface cytoplasmic projections (microprocesses) of HeLa, BHK and baby mouse kidney cells, maintained under different culture conditions, have been compared using scanning electron microscopy. No significant differences were noted in the surface aspects of these cell strains. Comparison of the cell strains, under identical culture conditions, showed variations from one strain to another in the density and morphology of the cell surface microprocesses which may reflect basic physiological differences between the strains. For a given cell strain, variations were observed in response to changes in culture conditions indicative that the presence of surface microprocesses is related to the physiological state of the cell.

1984 ◽  
Vol 52 (02) ◽  
pp. 102-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
L J Nicholson ◽  
J M F Clarke ◽  
R M Pittilo ◽  
S J Machin ◽  
N Woolf

SummaryA technique for harvesting mesothelial cells is described. This entails collagenase digestion of omentum after which the cells can be cultured. The technique has been developed using the rat, but has also been successfully applied to human tissue. Cultured rat mesothelial cells obtained in this way have been examined by scanning electron microscopy. Rat mesothelial cells grown on plastic film have been exposed to blood in an in vitro system using a Baumgartner chamber and have been demonstrated to support blood flow. No adhering platelets were observed on the mesothelial cell surface. Fibroblasts similarily exposed to blood as a control were washed off the plastic.


1977 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 179-188
Author(s):  
S. Knutton ◽  
D. Jackson ◽  
M. Ford

Fusion of erythrocytes and HeLa cells with Sendai and Newcastle disease viruses has been studied by scanning electron microscopy. Most virus particles are spherical but vary in diameter from approximately 200 to approximately 600 nm. At 4 degrees C virus particles bind randomly to the cell surface and at high cell densities cross-linking of adjacent cells by virus particles results in cell agglutination. Cell-cell fusion takes place when the agglutinated cell suspension is warmed to 37 degrees C. Fusion is initiated at sites of cell-cell contact and is accompanied in all cases by cell swelling. In the case of suspension HeLa cells, virally mediated cell swelling involves an ‘unfolding’ of cell surface microvilli and results in the formation of smooth-surfaced single or fused cells. With erythrocytes, swelling results in haemolysis. There is a dramatic reduction in the numbers of virus particles bound to cells following fusion.


2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paromita Raychaudhury ◽  
Ashis K. Basu

-Radiation-induced intrastrand guanine-thymine cross-link, G[8,5-Me]T, hinders replicationin vitroand is mutagenic in mammalian cells. Herein we reportin vitrotranslesion synthesis of G[8,5-Me]T by human and yeast DNA polymerase (hPol and yPol ). dAMP misincorporation opposite the cross-linked G by yPol was preferred over correct incorporation of dCMP, but further extension was 100-fold less efficient for :A compared to :C. For hPol , both incorporation and extension were more efficient with the correct nucleotides. To evaluate translesion synthesis in the presence of all four dNTPs, we have developed a plasmid-based DNA sequencing assay, which showed that yPol was more error-prone. Mutational frequencies of yPol and hPol were 36% and 14%, respectively. Targeted was the dominant mutation by both DNA polymerases. But yPol induced targeted in 23% frequency relative to 4% by hPol . For yPol , targeted and constituted 83% of the mutations. By contrast, with hPol , semi-targeted mutations (7.2%), that is, mutations at bases near the lesion, occurred at equal frequency as the targeted mutations (6.9%). The kind of mutations detected with hPol showed significant similarities with the mutational spectrum of G[8,5-Me]T in human embryonic kidney cells.


Blood ◽  
1986 ◽  
Vol 67 (5) ◽  
pp. 1257-1264 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Andreesen ◽  
KJ Bross ◽  
J Osterholz ◽  
F Emmrich

We have analyzed the expression of late differentiation antigens during terminal in vitro maturation of human macrophages (M phi) from blood monocytes (MO) in comparison to their distribution among mature M phi residing in various tissue sites. By immunizing mice with M phi derived from blood MO by culture on hydrophobic Teflon foils, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were developed (MAX.1, MAX.2, MAX.3, MAX.11) that reacted with lineage-restricted differentiation antigens. These antigens were expressed exclusively on M phi or were markedly increased after in vitro differentiation. The only overlap to another hemopoietic cell lineage was observed with MAX.3, which is shared by platelets and megakaryocytes. In the course of M phi maturation in vitro, the MAX.1 and MAX.3 antigens are detected within the cytoplasm two days before they appear on the cell surface. In contrast, the MAX.11 antigen is expressed simultaneously in the cytoplasm and at the cell surface, is found in varying degrees on a minor portion of blood MO and U937 cells, and is expressed rapidly at high density during early M phi differentiation in vitro. Among conventional mAbs that do not react with MO we found those against the transferrin (TF)-receptor, the BA-2, and the PCA1 antigen to label M phi. M phi matured in vivo and isolated from body fluids were positive with some but not all MAX mAbs. Distinctive patterns were observed with pulmonary M phi, exudate M phi from pleural and peritoneal effusions, synovial fluids, and early lactation milk. M phi from the alveolar space, for example, constantly expressed the MAX.2 antigen but not the MAX.3 antigen. Pleural effusion M phi, however, did not react with the MAX.1 mAb, but in most cases, it did react with the MAX.3 mAb. The detection of novel differentiation antigens, all expressed on monocyte-derived M phi but differently expressed on site-specific M phi in situ, underlines the remarkable heterogeneity among human M phi. The expression of these antigens is flexible because those MAX antigens that were not expressed in situ could be induced if cells from distinct tissue sites were cultured in vitro for several days. MAX mAbs may be of potential value to study both the sequential stages of maturation within the M phi lineage as well as differential developments induced by various culture conditions in parallel to environmental factors in vivo.


1989 ◽  
Vol 94 (3) ◽  
pp. 517-525
Author(s):  
A.M. Mes-Masson ◽  
S. Masson ◽  
D. Banville ◽  
L. Chalifour

A recombinant plasmid (pMTONCO) containing the coding sequences for rat oncomodulin under the direction of the metallothionein promoter was constructed. pMTONCO was co-transfected with the pSV2-NEO plasmid into primary mouse kidney cells or Rat-1 cells using the calcium phosphate technique and stable transformants were isolated after selection with G418. Transcription from the metallothionein promoter was inducible with heavy metals and produced an oncomodulin-specific mRNA. The presence of oncomodulin protein in stable cell lines was verified by immunoprecipitation with specific antisera. While a plasmid encoding the polyomavirus T-antigens was able to prolong the life-span of primary mouse kidney cells in culture, no equivalent activity was noted when the pMTONCO plasmid was used to transfect primary cells. When expressed in Rat-1 cells, oncomodulin did not affect the growth properties of these cells, nor did it predispose cells to higher frequencies of oncogenic transformation to a viral oncogene. We conclude that oncomodulin is neither an immortalizing nor transforming agent in vitro.


1973 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 633-642 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith R. Porter ◽  
George J. Todaro ◽  
Virginia Fonte

Cells of the mouse line Balb/3T3 as well as three virus-induced transformants and two spontaneous transformants grown in vitro have been studied for their topography by scanning electron microscopy. The parent cell in confluent culture closely resembles an endothelial cell in its form and in the structure of its association with adjacent cells. The tumorigenic transformants produced by SV40, murine sarcoma virus, or polyoma viruses are fusiform to pleomorphic and distinctly different from the cell of origin. They show relatively smooth surfaces except for blebs and marginal microvilli. Perhaps most surprising is the similarity they bear to one another. This is made the more singular by the very different form shown by the tumorigenic transformants of spontaneous origin. One of these, S2-4, possesses a thickened rather than the lamellar form of the parent A31 cell and is covered by long microvilli and many spherical blebs. The other, TuT3, more closely resembles the cell of origin but shows extensive ruffling at its margins. All transformants grow without evidence of contact inhibition. The significance of the surface morphologies and the factors influencing cell form are discussed.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document