Aggregates of microfilaments in astrocytes and fibroblasts in tissue culture in vitro as revealed with Coomassie brilliant blue R 250.

In tissue culture in vitro in fibroblasts cultivated on glass coverslips numerous aggregates of microfilaments demonstrating the typically parallel arrangement and originating intercellular connections were found. In contrast to the structural microfilamentous organization of fibroblasts, in glial cells of astrocyte type the microfilament aggregates are short and do not demonstrate a tendency to structural organization. The Coomassie blue positive substances either form granules of various size or are of irregular form and sometimes of rod -like appearance. In astrocyte-like cells of neoplastic origin no elements of the cytoskeleton could be demonstrated by this method. The differences in the structural organization of the cytoskeleton of mesodermal and neuroectodermal cells are discussed.