Adhesive properties of hepatoma cells to collagen IV coated surfaces.

OBJECTIVES

To quantitatively study the adhesive properties of hepatoma cells to collagen IV coated artificial basement membrane and to investigate the relevance of cell adhesive forces to the concentration of collagen IV.

METHODS

Synchronous G1 and S phase cells were achieved using thymine-2-desoxyriboside and cochicine sequential blockage method and double thymine-2-desoxyriboside blockage method respectively. The adhesive forces of hepatoma cells were investigated by micropipette aspiration technique.

RESULTS

The adhesive forces of hepatoma cells to artificial basement membrane were (107.78+/-65.44)x10(-10)N, (182.60+/-107.88)x10(-10)N, (298.91+/-144.13)x10(-10)N when the concentration of the membrane coated by 1, 2, 5 microg/ml collagen IV respectively (P<0.001). The adhesive forces of G1 and S phases hepatoma cells to artificial basement membrane were (275.86+/-232.80)x10(-10)N and (161.16+/-120.40)x10(-10)N respectively when the concentration of the membrane coated by 5 microg/ml collagen IV (P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The adhesive forces of hepatoma cells to artificial basement membrane in direct proportion to the concentration of collagen IV suggests that the increase of basement membrane might be conducive to the chemotactic motion and adhesiveness of tumor cells. G1 phase cells are more capable of adhering to basement membrane than S phase cells. Hepatoma cells, especially G1 phase cells, may survive in blood circulation, and sequest and adhere in microcirculation, and get through basement membrane for remote metastasis.