Some effects of positively charged surface groups on cell aggregation.

A study was made of the effects of 2,3-dimethylmaleic anhydride (DMA), a reagent removing positive charges, on the aggregation and surface charge of embryonic chick neural retina cells. Neural retina cells, recovered from the dissociation procedure, were cultured on a gyratory shaker and the aggregate dimaeters formed in the presence of DMA or DMA-serum dialysate, following DMA-pretreatment, or in appropriate control cultures measured. The electrophoretic mobilities of similarly treated cells were also determined. In addition, cellulose acetate electrophoresis was carried out on samples of serum containing DMA, and the incorporation of 14C-amino acids into DMA-treated cells studied. Aggregates formed in the presence of DMA, or following DMA-pretreatment, were significantly smaller than aggregates from control cultures. The electrophoretic mobility of DMA-treated cells was significantly increased in serum-containing medium, but not serum-free Hanks' solution. At 24 h after removal of DMA-containing medium, the mobilities of pretreated cells were similar to those of controls. The electrophoretic pattern of DMA-treated serum was changed only with concentrations of DMA many times that affecting cell aggregation or mobility. DMA-serum dialysate did not significanlty reduce aggregate size. The incorporation of 14C-amino acids in DMA-treated cells and the structure of aggregates were unchanged from controls. It is concluded that positively charged consituents of the cell periphery play a demonstrable, but not limiting, role in cell aggregation, while a minor role for positive charges on serum protein cannot be totally excluded.