This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Lowe, M. E. Articles by Holtzer, H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Lowe, M. E. Articles by Holtzer, H.

Effects of Phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate on the Phenotypic Program of Cultured Chondroblasts and Fibroblasts¹

Department of Anatomy, University of Pennsylvania Medical School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104

Phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) has a prompt, differential, and partially reversible effect on cultured chick chondroblasts. Within 36 hr PMA transforms sessile, polygonal, epithelioid chondroblasts into motile, multilayered, fibroblastic cells. In PMA chick chondroblasts rapidly cease to synthesize two of their terminal luxury molecules, the type IV sulfated proteoglycan that characterizes the extracell matrix and a glycosylated protein with an apparent molecular weight of 180,000. This glycosylated protein constitutes approximately 5% of the total protein in normal chondroblasts. If returned to normal medium after 4 days in PMA, virtually 100% of the cells reinitiate the synthesis of their type IV sulfated proteoglycan, of the 180,000-dalton protein, and reacquire their polygonal, epithelioid morphology. If returned to normal medium after 12 days in PMA, the cells fail to synthesize their two characteristic luxury molecules, and 100% of the cells remain fibroblastic. PMA alters the morphology of chick fibroblasts but does not block synthesis of their characteristic type III sulfated proteoglycan. PMA proves to be a mitogen for chondroblasts but not for fibroblasts, in spite of the phenotypic similarities of these two cell types.

¹ This work was supported by NIH Grants 1P01-CA-18194, GM-20138, HL-18708, and HL-15835 to the Pennsylvania Muscle Institute.

² Present address: Istituto Istologia ed Embriologia, Facolta di Medicina, Università di Roma, Via Scarpa 14, 00161 Rome, Italy.

³ To whom requests for reprints should be addressed.

Received 1/ 6/78. Accepted 4/25/78.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				G Rovera, T. O'Brien, and L Diamond Induction of differentiation in human promyelocytic leukemia cells by tumor promoters Science, May 25, 1979; 204(4395): 868 - 870. [Abstract] [PDF]