Intercellular adhesive selectivity. III. Species selectivity of embryonic liver intercellular adhesion

A species difference in the intercellular adhesive selectivity of mixtures of embryonic liver cells is reported. This is first quantitative assessment of species differences in the intercellular adhesive properties of embryonic cells. A collecting aggregate assay, a new double-label assay procedure, and histological and autoradiographic procedures were used to elucidate the intercellular adhesive selectivity of developing mammalian and avian liver cells. Evidence is presented that the reported adhesive differences are not due to the different cell types composing the respective embryonic mammalian and avian livers. Finally, such heterolgous-homotypic selectivity of adhesion is not a property of all tissues, since it is shown that developing brain cells (mesencephalon) do not exhibit the avove intercellular adhesive selectivity (mammalian vs. avian). These findings provide further support for the hypothesis that generic identity as well as cell type may play an important part in determining the intercellular adhesive behavior of heterologous-homotypic mixtures of embryonic cells. A possible evolutionary divergence of morphogenetic mechanisms is discussed.     

Intercellular adhesive selectivity. I. An improved assay for the measurement of embryonic chick intercellular adhesion (liver and other tissues)

An improved assay for measuring intercellular adhesive selectivity of embryonic chick liver cells is described. Three major improvements over earlier procedures are noted: (a) enhanced reproducibility of liver cell-liver cell aggregate adhesion (homotypic adhesion) was achieved; (b) 25-70% of the input cells adhered to the collecting aggregates during the course of routine experiments as compared to the 0.25% in earlier assays. This increase in cellular adhesion suggests that the observed cell pick-up is a characteristic of the majority of the dissociated liver cell population; (c) the rate of intercellular adhesion was increased 1,000-fold. The main feature of the assay is that it measures the tissue adhesive selectivities of the dissociated cell population. Studies were undertaken on three embryonic chick tissues (liver, neural retina, and mesencephalon) to determine the tissue selectivity of intercellular adhesion of these dissociated cell types. Some general properties of liver cell homotypic adhesion have been studied and are reported.     

Synthetic peptides that mimic the adhesive recognition signal of fibronectin: differential effects on cell-cell and cell-substratum adhesion in embryonic chick cells

Although fibronectin has been implicated in cell-cell as well as cell-substratum interactions, most experimentation has focused on cell-substratum interactions of fibroblasts. We have examined the effect of the specific peptide GRGDS derived from the cell-binding sequence of fibronectin upon cell-cell and cell-substratum interactions using embryonic cells and tissues. Embryonic chick segmental plate cells undergo compaction (i.e., increased cell-cell adhesion) during the early stages of somitogenesis. Fibronectin has been implicated in this increase in cell-cell interaction. In contrast, precardiac mesoderm undergoes directional migration upon a fibronectin-rich substratum, exhibiting both cell-cell and cell-substratum interactions. The segmental plate cells, which are the precursors of embryonic somites, normally show very little cell-cell or cell-substratum interaction in culture. These cells exhibit a striking increase in intercellular adhesion, but exhibit no cell-substratum adhesion, in the presence of relatively low concentrations of the fibronectin-derived peptide GRGDS. Somite cells, which normally exhibit both cell-cell and cell-substratum adhesion in culture, show complete inhibition of cell-substratum adhesion in the presence of this peptide. Precardiac mesoderm, which normally exhibits both cell-cell and cell-substratum adhesion in culture, shows a marked inhibition of both processes in the presence of GRGDS. Since the finding that a monovalent competitive inhibitor of fibronectin binding can stimulate cell-cell adhesion was unexpected, we propose a "trigger" hypothesis, whereby the peptide recognition signal acts as a specific signal or trigger for the morphogenetic process of compaction. There is a striking specificity to this effect, since synthetic peptides with even conservative changes in the amino acid sequence have no effect. Finally, we find that under certain conditions the effect of the specific peptide is lost in 6-8 hr and the cells resume cell-substratum interactions or, in the case of the segmental plate cells, revert from the compacted state and exhibit a substantial decrease in cell-cell adhesion. Our studies indicate the diversity of cell and tissue responses possible when even a single peptide inhibitor of adhesion, and we have identified the first known activating effect of a fibronectin peptide on cell behavior and differentiation.     

Cell-cell adhesion in the embryonic chick: Partial purification of liver adhesion molecules from liver membranes

Polyspecific xenoantisera specific for embryonic chick liver cells have been used to develop an assay for the detection of embryonic chick liver adhesion molecules (LAM). The neutralization of the antiaggregation immune sera and subsequent semiquantitative assessment of the remaining activity is the basis for this assay. Embryonic chick liver membrane proteins have been solubilized using a number of detergents and the LAM activity has been partially purified using sucrose-gradient sedimentation, isoelectric focusing, gel filtration, affinity chromatography, and preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis procedures. The isolated LAM appears to be an intrinsic, trypsin-resistant, membrane glycoprotein of approximately 65,000 daltons. The 65K preparation of LAM is an effective immunogen in generating an aggregation blocking xenoantiserum specific for embryonic chick liver cells. Purification of LAM to homogeneity has been hampered by an apparent lability by self-association or loss by adsorption of the more purified LAM antigen(s).     

Enzymatic dissection of embryonic cell adhesive mechanisms: II. Developmental regulation of an endogenous adhesive system in the chick neural retina

Previous studies have demonstrated the presence of two functionally distinct intercellular adhesive systems operating among embryonic chick neural retina cells. These systems differ in their proteolytic sensitivity, protection by calcium against proteolysis, dependence on calcium for function, and in vitro morphogenetic potential. In this report we demonstrate that functional expression of the calcium-dependent adhesive system of embryonic chick neural retina cells is developmentally regulated between Days 7 and 16 of development, whereas the calcium-independent adhesive system is not. Age-dependent changes are described in terms of the ability to produce adhesive-competent cells bearing the calcium-dependent adhesive system and in terms of the responses of these cells during aggregation to perturbations with various drugs. Enzyme and ion combinations other than calcium and typsin are shown to yield calcium-dependent adhesive-competent cells. We also describe the protective effect of calcium on the histological and ultrastructural organization of trypsinized embryonic neural retina tissue. The possible role of the calcium-dependent adhesive system in retinal development is discussed.     

Involvement of cell surface phosphatidylinositol-anchored glycoproteins in cell-cell adhesion of chick embryo myoblasts

During myogenesis myoblasts fuse to form multinucleate cells that express muscle-specific proteins. A specific cell-cell adhesion process precedes lipid bilayer union during myoblast fusion (Knudsen, K. A., and A. F. Horwitz. 1977. Dev. Biol. 58:328-338) and is mediated by cell surface glycoproteins (Knudsen, K. A., 1985. J. Cell Biol. 101:891- 897). In this paper we show that myoblast adhesion and myotube formation are inhibited by treating fusion-competent myoblasts with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC). The effect of PI-PLC on myoblast adhesion is dose dependent and inhibited by D-myo- inositol 1-monophosphate and the effect on myotube formation is reversible, suggesting a specific, nontoxic effect on myogenesis by the enzyme. A soluble form of adhesion-related glycoproteins is released from fusion-competent myoblasts by treatment with PI-PLC as evidenced by (a) the ability of phospholipase C (PLC)-released material to block the adhesion-perturbing activity of a polyclonal antiserum to intact myoblasts; and (b) the ability of PLC-released glycoprotein to stimulate adhesion-perturbing antisera when injected into mice. PI-PLC treatment of fusion-competent myoblasts releases an isoform of N-CAM into the supernate, suggesting that N-CAM may participate in mediating myoblast interaction during myogenesis.     

Intercellular adhesion and formation of aggregates in normal and Talpid-3 mutant chick limb mesenchyme.

It is demonstrated, using the Couette viscometer method, that talpid-3 mutant chick wing mesenchyme cells are more adhesive to one another than are normal cells. The relation of this to differences in the size and shape, and the internal architecture, of aggregates produced in rotation cultures of these cells was investigated. Sequences of sections through aggregates in all stages of formation, from 2-cell aggregates up to those with large cell numbers, were prepared. These confirm the theoretically predicted relationships among adhering cells which would produce the observed small, spherical talpid-3 aggregates and the larger, unevenly shaped normal aggregates. The cell contacts are further analysed with electron micrographs.     

Mechanism of cell-cell adhesion complex assembly.

Cell-cell adhesion complexes play an important role in the organization and behavior of cells in tissues. An important step in the formation of such complexes is the clustering of the adhesion receptors; this is critical for proper adhesion, for anchorage of the cytoskeleton to the plasma membrane, and for generation of different intracellular signals. Recent advances reveal that several interconnected mechanisms are responsible for clustering of the different adhesion receptors.     

Properties of highly purified lysyl oxidase from embryonic chick cartilage.

Lysyl oxidase the enzyme which oxidately deaminates lysine residues in collagen and elastin, was purified from embryonic chick cartialge by employing an affinity column of lathyritic rat skin collagen coupled to Sepharose, followed by separation on DEAE-cellulose. An enzyme preparation was obtained which was pure as shown by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The specific activity was 1800-fold higher than that of the original extract. The pure enzyme utilized both collagen and elastin substrate. Furthermore, the ratios of enzyme activity with elastin substrate versus that with collagen substrate were the same at all stages of purity. Only one protein band was found after polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the pure lysyl oxidase in sodium dodecyl sulfate and mercaptoethanol. The molecular weight was estimated to be 28000. It was found that the enzyme contained a large number of cysteine and tyrosine residues. Evidence was obtained for molecular heterogeneity of lysyl oxidase. The enzyme eluted from DEAE-cellulsoe in at least four distinct regions. When the peaks were rechromatographed separately, they eluted at salt concentrations similar to those of the original chromatogram. However, the substrate specificity and the electrophoretic mobility on polyacrylamide gel were the same for all enzyme fractions.     

The phospholipid composition of embryonic chick liver microsomes

1. The phospholipid composition of hepatic microsomal fractions from different developmental stages of embryonic chick was established. The major components were phosphatidylcholine (approx. 66%), phosphatidylethanolamine plus phosphatidylserine (approx. 21%) and sphingomyelin (approx. 9%). 2. There were no significant changes in the phospholipid composition during embryonic development from 9 to 20 days. 3. When microsomal subfractions were prepared it was found that the smooth-microsomal fractions (Ia and Ib) had a significantly greater sphingomyelin content than the rough-microsomal fraction (II). This was compensated by a lower phosphatidylcholine content in fractions Ia and Ib and an increase of phosphatidylcholine in fraction II. 4. The significance of the differences in the phospholipid composition of smooth and rough microsomes is discussed with particular reference to the origin and interrelation of smooth and rough endoplasmic reticulum.     

Ligatin from embryonic chick neural retina inhibits retinal cell adhesion

Ligatin, a filamentous cell-surface protein purified from embryonic chick neural retina, has been found to inhibit the reassociation of dissociated retinal cells. This inhibition was demonstrated using two methods, a single cell disappearance assay and an improved monolayer collection assay utilizing microtiter plates. Monomeric ligatin at approximately 20 μg/ml inhibited rates of adhesion, but polymeric ligatin and tryptic fragments of ligatin were ineffective. Ligatin's inhibitory effect is suggested to be mediated through binding to retinal cell surfaces since preincubation of dissociated retinal cells with monomeric ligatin inhibited the cells' adhesiveness and removed the inhibitory activity from the culture media. Ligatin homologues prepared from mammalian tissues were ineffective in inhibiting retinal cell adhesion, suggesting a tissue and/or species specificity. Similarities in physicochemical and biological properties suggest that ligatin may be the inhibitor of adhesion previously described by Merrell et al.[Merrell, R., Gottlieb, D. I., and Glaser, L. (1975). J. Biol. Chem., 250, 4825].     

Partial purification and characterization of thymidylate kinase from embryonic chick liver.

Thymidylate kinase from the livers of 18-day-old chick embryos was concentrated 423-fold. The purification procedure included acid precipitation, ammonium sulfate fractionation, gel filtration on Sephadex G-100 and G-75 Super Fine, and ion-exchange chromatography on Diethylaminoethyl Sephadex A-50. This enzyme was found to be very labile but could be stabilized for long periods of time by its substrate (thymidine 5′-monophosphate) in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol. Enzymes responsible for the formation of thymidine 5′-diphosphate and thymidine 5′-triphosphate, respectively, were separated during fractionation procedures. Thymidylate kinase from chick embryo liver was found to be a single protein having a molecular weight of approximately 46,000, Michaelis constant approximately 8 × 10^?5m, and a broad pH optimum between 6.6 and 8.6. A 2–3 mm requirement of Mg²⁺ above the adenosine 5′-triphosphate concentration was shown to be necessary for maximum enzyme activity. The enzyme appears to be competitively inhibited by thymidine, thymidine 5′-diphosphate, and thymidine 5′-triphosphate and noncompetitively inhibited by adenosine 5′-diphosphate.Thymidylate kinase enzymes isolated from two stages of developing embryonic liver and adult chick liver were shown to be identical.     

Distinct roles for adhesion molecules during innervation of embryonic chick muscle

In vitro studies have suggested that the cell adhesion molecules NCAM and G4/L1 contribute to a variety of events during neural development. We have directly tested the role played by these molecules in the process of initial nerve ingrowth and ramification in the embryonic chick iliofibularis muscle by in ovo injections of specific adhesion-blocking antibodies and analysis of the resultant nerve branching pattern in muscle whole mounts. Antibodies against both molecules produced axonal defasciculation, which resulted in an enhanced transverse projection to the fast region of the muscle. In the case of anti-G4/L1, we also observed a large increase in the number of side branches that form from nerve trunks in the slow region and an enhancement of nerve branching in the fast region. Conversely, anti-NCAM produced a striking decrease in both the number and length of side branches in the slow region, and a reduction in nerve branching in the fast region. A similar reduction of nerve branching was obtained following injection of an endosialidase, which removes sialic acid from NCAM, and which was observed to enhance fiber-fiber apposition, presumably by increasing cell adhesion. Based on their biochemical properties in vitro and their in vivo distribution, both NCAM and G4/L1 are in a position to contribute to axon-axon adhesive interactions, whereas NCAM would be expected to also promote axon-myotube interactions. Our observations in fact indicate that these two adhesion molecules play different but complementary roles during muscle innervation and, specifically, that axon-axon fasciculation is influenced by both NCAM and G4/L1 in an anatomically distinct manner to regulate the overall pattern of nerve branching and that NCAM-mediated axon-myotube interactions are necessary for the attainment of the normal stereotyped pattern of nerve branching in both fast and slow regions of this muscle.     

cAMP-dependent induction of delta-aminolevulinate synthase in isolated embryonic chick liver cells.

Isolated liver cells were prepared from 17-day old chick embryos and incubated in Eagle's basal medium. Induction of δ-aminolevulinate synthase activity occurred immediately upon addition of allylisopropylacetamide and was totally dependent on the presence of Bt₂cAMP (or cAMP) during the first 6 h of incubation. Under optimal inducing conditions in the presence of desferrioxamine mesylate and hormones, δ-aminolevulinate synthase induction occurred at rates comparable with those observed in ovo. The isolated liver cells provide a convenient experimental system for studying the effect of porphyrogenic drugs on porphyrin metabolism.     

Sulfate esterifying activity of embryonic chick liver in vitro

A method has been described for the study of tissue sulfate-conjugating systems in vitro. Liver slices from embryonic chicks were maintained in vitro in a medium containing labeled inorganic sulfate and phenol. It was found that more of the sulfate was esterified at 20 °C. than at 37 °C. due to the longer continued activity at the lower temperature. All sulfate-esterifying activity was lost in liver slices maintained at 37 °C. for 30 hr. while those cultures maintained at 20 °C. continued to esterify sulfate for 70 hr.On the basis of our data there would appear to be a change in the thermal stability of the sulfate-esterifying enzyme system of the chick liver upon its transition from the embryonic stage to the stage of the fully developed chick. Data were presented for the chick 4 months ex ovo. We have been unable to detect any analogous temperature effects upon the sulfate-esterifying system in the livers of embryonic and adult rats.     

Fatty acid synthesis in chick embryonic heart and liver during development.

Fatty acid synthesis by subcellular fractions of heart and liver of chick embryos at varying stages of development has been studied. Fatty acid synthetase activity is associated with the embryonic heart at early stages of development, as suggested by substrate requirement, Schmidt decarboxylation of synthesized fatty acids and gas liquid chromatographic identification of the products as palmitic and stearic acids. The fatty acid synthetase activity decreases in heart cytosol with age of the embryo and is absent in the newly hatched chick and in older chicken. The acetyl CoA carboxylase activity is negligible in embryonic and adult chicken heart. The fatty acid synthetase activity in liver is low, but measurable during the entire embryonic development. The activity increases by about three-fold on hatching and thereafter in fed, newly hatched chicks by about 35-fold, over the basal embryonic activity. The acetyl and malonyl transacylase activities in the heart and liver cytosols during development followed closely the fatty acid synthetase activities in heart and liver, respectively. A non-coordinate induction of fatty acid synthetase and acetyl CoA carboxylase activities in liver was observed during development. The microsomal chain elongation in liver and heart followed the pattern of fatty acid synthetase activity in liver and heart, respectively. The mitochondrial chain elongation in embryonic heart is initially low and increases with age; while this activity in liver is higher in early stages of embryonic development than in the older embryos and the chicks. Measurement of lipogenesis from acetate-1-¹⁴C by liver and heart slices from chick embryos and newly hatched chicks support the conclusions reached in the studies with the subcellular fractions. The results obtained indicate that the major system of fatty acid synthesis in embryonic and adult heart is the mitochondrial chain elongation. In embryonic liver, fatty acid synthesis proceeds by chain elongation, while the de novo system is the major contributor to the lipogenic capacity of the liver after hatching.