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Lectin binding as a probe of proliferative and differentiative phases in primary monolayer cultures of cutaneous keratinocytes

Journal Article · · Experimental Cell Research; (United States)
;  [1]
  1. Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor (USA)

The surface of cells in the cutaneous epidermis of the newborn rat exhibits a discrete change in lectin-binding specificity from Griffonia simplicifolia I-B4 (GS I-B4), specific for {alpha}-D-galactosyl residues, to Ulex europeus agglutinin I (UEA), specific for {alpha}-L-fucose, as the cell leaves the basal layer and differentiates. Primary monolayer cultures of rat keratinocytes maintained in low Ca{sup 2+} medium exhibited a characteristic unimodal pattern in the ratio of bound UEA to bound GS I-B4 (UEA/B4 ratio) over a 7-day culture period as determined by a quantitative fluorometric assay. Estimation of DNA synthesis showed (a) a higher ({sup 3}H)thymidine incorporation when the UEA/B4 ratio was low and (b) a steady but lower incorporation between Days 3 and 4, coincident with the higher UEA/B4 ratio. Autoradiographic results further showed that cells stained intensely with UEA failed to incorporate ({sup 3}H)thymidine into their nuclei. Overall, the results suggest that (a) the increase in the UEA/B4 ratio between Days 2 and 4 reflects the progression of a proportion of the cells in the monolayer to an early spinous cell stage, the ultimate fate of which is desquamation into the medium and (b) the decrease in the UEA/B4 ratio between Days 5 and 7 reflects a consequent proliferative response to this loss of cells.

OSTI ID:
5393329
Journal Information:
Experimental Cell Research; (United States), Journal Name: Experimental Cell Research; (United States) Vol. 175:2; ISSN ECREA; ISSN 0014-4827
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English