Embryo cell surfaces--lectin binding and cell proliferation.

The interaction between chick embryo fibroblasts and various lectins has been studied at different stages of embryo development. There is evidence that Robinia lectin, Dolichos lectin, and Concanavalin A decrease cell number and proportion of cells incorporating [3H] thymidine in case of 8- and 10-day-old chick embryo fibroblasts, whereas they stimulated the proliferation of 16-day-old embryo cells. No effect was noticed in 12-day cells. These results suggest that some cell surface changes occur during embryo development. The site number of Dolichos lectin remains the same during embryo development, and the affinity constant decreases. The site number of Robinia lectin and Concanavalin A decreases from the 8th to the 12th day of development, and slowly increases on the 16-day cells, the affinity constant remaining rather constant. The results indicate that the age-dependent effect of lectin on embryo cells could not be directly related to the number of lectin-binding sites. Competitive binding experiments revealed that Dolichos receptor sites were distincts from binding sites of Robinia lectin and Concanavalin A, and Robina receptor sites distinct from those of concanavalin A. Lectin effects on embryo fibroblasts were very specific as determined by inhibitory assays.