Molecular requirements for the adhesion and spreading of hamster fibroblasts

Hamster plasma fibronectin adsorbs rapidly to a plastic surface to form a monolayer that promotes attachment and spreading of baby hamster kidney (BHK) fibroblasts. Maximal spreading requires a minimum surface density of about 1.8 × 10¹⁰ fibronectin molecules/cm² indicating a maximum of 45 000 contacts between a well-spread cell and the adsorbed fibronectin lattice. Surfaces coated with other antibodies or lectins reactive with the BHK cell surface also promote rapid cell flattening.