Responses of Fibroblasts to Anchorage of Dorsal Extracellular Matrix Receptors

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS Vol. 101; no. 52; pp. 18024 - 18029
• Main Authors: Beningo, Karen A, Dembo, Micah, Wang, Yu-li
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States National Academy of Sciences 28.12.2004; National Acad Sciences
• Subjects: 3T3 cells; Acrylic Resins - chemistry; Actins - metabolism; Animals; Biological Sciences; Calcium; Calcium - metabolism; Cell Adhesion; Cell Differentiation; Cell Line; Cell Membrane - metabolism; Cell Movement; Cell Proliferation; Cells, Cultured; Cellular biology; Collagen - chemistry; Cultured cells; Cytoskeleton - ultrastructure; Digital rights management; Epithelial cells; Extracellular Matrix - metabolism; Fibrinogen - chemistry; Fibroblasts; Fibroblasts - cytology; Fibronectins - chemistry; Focal adhesions; Gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Mice; Microscopy, Fluorescence; Models, Biological; NIH 3T3 Cells; Pseudopodia; Pseudopodia - metabolism; Receptors; Signal Transduction; Stress, Mechanical; Transfection
• ISSN: 0027-8424; 1091-6490
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0405747102

Fibroblasts in 2D cultures differ dramatically in behavior from those in the 3D environment of a multicellular organism. However, the basis of this disparity is unknown. A key difference is the spatial arrangement of anchored extracellular matrix (ECM) receptors to the ventral surface in 2D cultures and throughout the entire surface in 3D cultures. Therefore, we asked whether changing the topography of ECM receptor anchorage alone could invoke a morphological response. By using polyacrylamide-based substrates to present anchored fibronectin or collagen on dorsal cell surfaces, we found that well spread fibroblasts in 2D cultures quickly changed into a bipolar or stellate morphology similar to fibroblasts in vivo. Cells in this environment lacked lamellipodia and large actin bundles and formed small focal adhesions only near focused sites of protrusion. These responses depend on substrate rigidity, calcium ion, and, likely, the calcium-dependent protease calpain. We suggest that fibroblasts respond to both spatial distribution and mechanical input of anchored ECM receptors. Changes in cell shape may in turn affect diverse cellular activities, including gene expression, growth, and differentiation, as shown in numerous previous studies.