Study on biological behaviors of human carcinoma cells with special em-phasis placed on intercellular and cell-to-matrix adhesiveness of cultured cells was undertaken. Characterization of five different cell lines derived from bladder carcinoma was morphologically determined utilizing monolayer, rota-tion and collagen sponge matrix culture. Also determined were distribution and quantification of fibronectin in cells and cultured media by immuno-fluorescence technique and immunoelectrophoresis.
The results showed that regardless of the culture technique employed, distinct morphological characteristics of cellular arrangement and surface of the cells, which well corresponded to the grade of the original carcinoma of the bladder. The adhesiveness tended to be inversely proportional to grade of the original carcinoma, however, KU-7 derived from low grade carcinoma was shown to have decreased adhesiveness and increased amount of fibronectin in its culture media compared with other four cell lines.
These results indicate a close association of adhesiveness of cultured cells with cellular malignancy and its proliferation. Studies of tumor cell adhesive-ness may thus provide insight into the mechanism of local tumor growth and dissemination to form distant metastasis.