Correlation between the regeneration of cell surface glycoproteins and the cell re-adhesion to the substratum in trypsin-treated chick fibroblasts at various stages of embryo development.

The ability of fibroblasts from 8- to 16-day-old chick embryos to adhere to a substratum was altered by trypsin treatment. The consequences of this treatment were investigated on cell re-adhesion to the substratum and cell morphology in relation to the regeneration of cell surface glycoproteins as estimated by the incorporation of [3H]leucine and [14C]glucosamine. Cell re-adhesion, cell shape and restoration of cell surface glycoproteins of the fibroblasts from chick embryos were markedly alike for each stage of embryo development. Age-dependent differences were noted. The fibroblasts from 8-day-old embryos re-adhered progressively more rapidly than fibroblasts from 16-day-old embryos. The fibroblast morphology appeared to be dependent on the re-adhesion of cells to the substratum. Parallel to the re-adhesion, the cell surface glycoprotein recovery reached at least 90% in fibroblasts from 8-day-old embryos and only about 70% in fibroblasts from 16-day-old embryos after a 4 h culture as compared to the control cultures. These percentages coincided with 73% (fibroblasts from 8-day-old embryos) and 40% (fibroblasts from 16-day-old embryos) adhesion recovery. The results are discussed in terms of a possible mechanism for cell surface recovery.