Scanning electron microscopy of induced cell rounding of mouse adrenal cortex tumor cells in culture.

The surface topologies of mouse adrenal cortex tumor cells of primary or clonal origin grown as monolayer cell cultures were observed by scanning electron microscopy following their exposure to substances that effect steroid release and/or cell rounding. ACTH induced cell rounding with a concomitant profuse development of fine microvilli in a non-synchronously dividing cell population. This was less pronounced with other steroidogenic substances and absent in EGTA or trypsin-treated cells. Morphological alterations occurred most rapidly with cAMP and least rapidly with dbcAMP. The rapid development of fine microvilli with ACTH is proposed to be a specific hormone mediated response.