Actin content and organization of microfilaments in primary cultures of mouse embryonic fibroblasts (in vitro ageing).

Actin distribution in serially passaged embryonic mouse fibroblasts has been visualized by the anti-actin-PAP method; the organization of the microfilaments has been observed by electron microscopy (SEM and TEM). Four successive actin patterns have been identified: early (few well-organized bundles of microfilaments), middle-aged (many well-organized bundles and patches around the nucleus), late (numerous ill-organized filamentous structures and diffuse perinuclear-actin) and "senescent" (heavy packs of short microfilaments around the nucleus). All the observed actin-positive filaments were disrupted by cytochalasin B treatment. The cytoplasmic actin complex was cell-age and not cell-size-dependent; it behaved differently from the cytoplasmic microtubular complex to serially subcultivated fibroblasts. Measurements of the cell-protein content (Lowry's method) and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (Laemmli's method) have been performed in the successive population doubling levels (PDL) of the primary cultures. Triton-insoluble actin increased in parallel with total protein and reached about 4% of the total proteins in all the PDLs. Triton-soluble actin also increase at the beginning of the middle-aged period (generally 6 PDL) and another in declining cultures (generally 10 PDL). Total actin amounted to about 8% of the total proteins in early fibroblasts, to about 16% at the beginning of the middle-aged period and to about 20% in the declining terminal cultures. Taking into account all the known characteristics of subcultivated primary cultures, we tentatively consider the evolution of the fibroblasts as an in vitro differentiation followed by true in vitro senescence in the declining cultures. Regarding the cytoplasmic actin-complex, senescence would be characterized by a sharp increase in soluble actin, an unbalanced ratio between soluble and insoluble actin and an impairment of the ability of the microfilaments to form well-organized bundles.