Premium
Cell behavior and cell‐matrix interactions of human palmar aponeurotic cells in vitro
Author(s) -
Quaglino Daniela,
Bergamini Giovanna,
Croce Antonietta,
Boraldi Federica,
Barbieri Daniela,
Caroli Alessandro,
Marcuzzi Augusto,
Tiozzo Roberta,
Ronchetti Ivonne Pasquali
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of cellular physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.529
H-Index - 174
eISSN - 1097-4652
pISSN - 0021-9541
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-4652(199712)173:3<415::aid-jcp14>3.0.co;2-a
Subject(s) - in vitro , microbiology and biotechnology , cell , matrix (chemical analysis) , cell culture , biology , chemistry , biophysics , genetics , chromatography
The present investigation has been performed to better characterize, in vitro, normal aponeurotic cells in comparison with dermal fibroblasts and with cells derived from Dupuytren's affected aponeuroses. Cells were cultured in monolayer and/or into three‐dimensional collagen gels. Cell structure, adhesion, and spreading capability on different substrates, as well as integrin expression were investigated by light and electron microscopy and by flow cytometry. Cell‐matrix interactions were also analyzed by gel retraction experiments in the presence, or absence, of RGD peptides and anti‐integrin antibodies. Normal aponeurotic cells, compared with dermal fibroblasts, exhibited in vitro peculiar structural features, which were substantially maintained in Dupuytren's aponeurotic cells, irrespective of the substrate they were grown on. By contrast, the aponeurotic cell behavior was different in normal and diseased cells, these latter approaching that of dermal fibroblasts. Normal aponeurotic cells, in fact, were characterized by low efficiency in retracting the collagen gel, low α 2 , α 1 , and α 5 integrin subunit expression and low adhesion properties onto collagen and fibronectin, whereas cells isolated from the aponeuroses of Dupuytren's patients exhibited higher capability of retracting the collagen gel, increased adhesion properties toward collagen and fibronectin, and higher levels of integrin expression. No differences were observed between dermal fibroblasts from Dupuytren's patients or from normal subjects. These in vitro results are consistent with those previously obtained in situ, suggesting that palmar aponeurotic cells have a peculiar phenotype and that changes in cell‐matrix interactions occur in Dupuytren's contracture. Moreover, by comparing data obtained from the retracted fibrotic cords and the still clinically unaffected aponeuroses of the same patients, it may be noted that Dupuytren's disease is not only confined to the clinically involved branches, but includes the whole aponeurosis of the affected hand. J. Cell. Physiol. 173:415–422, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.