Ehrlich ascites tumour cells show tissue-specific adherence and modify their shape upon contact with embryonic fibroblasts and myotubes.

Adhesiveness of Ehrlich ascites tumour (EAT) cells to glass, to mouse peritoneal membrane, living and aldehyde-fixed mouse embryo fibroblasts and chick embryo fibroblasts, myoblasts and myotubes was investigated. The ascitic EAT cells (and leukaemia L1210 cells) did not adhere to glass and peritoneum but readily adhered to embryo fibroblasts, myoblasts and myotubes. The attachment was followed by cell spreading and migration. Fixation of fibroblasts or myogenic cells with aldehydes did not prevent ascitic cells from attaching but reduced the rate of spreading. Only direct interaction of ascitic cells with embryo myoblasts or fibroblasts induced changes in tumour cell adhesiveness followed by cell spreading and locomotion. These results are discussed in relation to an observation that ascitic cells growing as a cell suspension intraperitoneally grow as a solid tumour when injected subcutaneously.