An immunogold evaluation of cortical actin reorganization in pubertal Sertoli cells in vitro after PMA treatment

The aim of the present study was to investigate stress fibers and cortical actin reorganization in pubertal Sertoli cells in vitro after PMA treatment. Actin was studied by means of immunogold labeling, using the 'Progressive Lowering of Temperature' technique (PLT). Actin rearrangement was evaluated by a quantitative analysis of the gold label distribution. Eight hours after addition of 10(-7) M PMA, rearrangement of cortical actin was minimal, but stress fiber perturbation was significant as shown by immunogold labeling distribution measurements. PMA-mediated F-actin reorganization and redistribution in non-neoplastic cells is discussed, since these phenomena have been closely linked with cell transformation.