Assembly and Alignment of Fibronectin-Coated Gold Beads into Fibrils by Human Skin Fibroblasts

Authors

Donna M. Pesciotta Peters, University of Wisconsin
Deane F. Mosher, University of Wisconsin

Abstract

The assembly of fibronectin into fibrils was monitored by high voltage electron microscopy using 18 nm colloidal gold beads bound to fibronectin (Au₁₈-fibronectin) or an amino terminal 70 kd fragment of fibronectin (Au₁₈-70 kd) that blocks the incorporation of fibronectin into disulfide bonded fibrils. Subconfluent cultures of human skin fibroblasts were incubated with the colloidal gold complexes for 0.25, 0.5, 1.5 and 5 h. In fibroblast cultures incubated with Au₁₈-fibronectin and Au₁₈-70 kd fragments for 0.25 and 0.5 h, the complexes of Au₁₈-fibronectin and Au₁₈-70 kd fragment were observed bound to the cell surface in clusters near bundles of intracellular microfilaments, usually along the lateral edges of the fibroblasts. Fibroblast cultures incubated with Au₁₈-fibronectin and Au₁₈-70 kd fragment for 1.5 and 5 h showed a more linear arrangement of the Au₁₈-fibronectin and Au₁₈-70 kd fragment along the lateral and retracting edges and on filopodia. This alignment of Au₁₈-fibronectin into linear arrangements on the fibroblast cell surface suggests that the assembly of fibronectin fibrils occurs on specific regions of the fibroblast.

Recommended Citation

Pesciotta Peters, Donna M. and Mosher, Deane F. (1987) "Assembly and Alignment of Fibronectin-Coated Gold Beads into Fibrils by Human Skin Fibroblasts," Scanning Microscopy: Vol. 1: No. 2, Article 32.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/microscopy/vol1/iss2/32