Vlodavsky I, Lui G M, Gospodarowicz D
Cell. 1980 Mar;19(3):607-16. doi: 10.1016/s0092-8674(80)80037-7.
Growth of human tumor cells (hepatocarcinoma, Ewing's sarcoma) on an extracellular matrix (ECM) produced by bovine corneal endothelial cells is associated with the adoption of a morphological appearance and growth properties that are not expressed when the cells are maintained on plastic. Within minutes after seeding cell aggregates onto an ECM, the aggregates attached firmly. Active cell migration leading to the formation of flattened and nonoverlapping cell clusters was subsequently observed. In contrast, no firm attachment, migratory activity or disorganization of cell aggregates was observed when the same cells were maintained on plastic. Cells seeded on ECM, instead of growing as floating or loosely attached aggregates, formed a cell monolayer composed of firmly attached, highly flattened and closely apposed epithelioid-like cells. Cell overlapping and subsequent detachment were observed only late at confluence. Cells maintained on ECM had a higher growth rate as well as a lower serum requirement than those maintained on plastic. These results demonstrate that the phenotypic expression as well as the proliferation of tumor cells can be modulated by their adhesive interaction with the extracellular matrix. Both tumor cells and normal cells of epithelial origin are more likely to resemble their in vivo counterparts when maintained on extracellular matrix than on plastic, and when so maintained can therefore provide a better model for oncogenic studies.
人肿瘤细胞（肝癌细胞、尤因肉瘤细胞）在牛角膜内皮细胞产生的细胞外基质（ECM）上生长时，会呈现出一种形态外观并具备一些生长特性，而这些特性在细胞培养于塑料表面时并不表达。将细胞聚集体接种到ECM上几分钟后，聚集体就会牢固附着。随后观察到细胞的活跃迁移，导致形成扁平且不重叠的细胞簇。相比之下，当相同的细胞培养于塑料表面时，未观察到牢固附着、迁移活性或细胞聚集体的解体。接种在ECM上的细胞，不是以漂浮或松散附着的聚集体形式生长，而是形成由牢固附着、高度扁平且紧密相邻的上皮样细胞组成的细胞单层。仅在汇合后期才观察到细胞重叠和随后的脱离。培养于ECM上的细胞比培养于塑料表面的细胞具有更高的生长速率以及更低的血清需求。这些结果表明，肿瘤细胞的表型表达以及增殖可通过其与细胞外基质的黏附相互作用来调节。与培养于塑料表面相比，上皮来源的肿瘤细胞和正常细胞在细胞外基质上培养时更有可能类似于其体内对应物，因此这样培养时可为致癌研究提供更好的模型。
