In order to study the role of cellular adhesion in the process of lymphatic metastasis, in vitro models were developed from isolated components of the lymphatic system. Cultures of rat lymphatic endothelial cells and of rat lymph node stromal cells were obtained. The endothelial cells expressed von Willebrand factor (vWF) and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), and took up acetylated-low density lipoprotein (Ac-LDL). The stromal cells were composed mainly of Ac-LDL$(-),$ vWF$(-)$ cells which produced in vitro a reticular mesh of fibers, and expressed fibronectin, laminin and type IV collagen. The adhesion of tumor cells derived from two rat breast carcinoma lines of divergent metastatic potentials to the lymphatic cells and to extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins has been tested. / The capacity for lymphatic metastasis was found to correlate with tumor cell adhesion to fibronectin, a major component of the lymph node ECM. Inhibition experiments showed that tumor cell adhesion to fibronectin was mediated by a $ beta sb1$ integrin(s). In contrast no correlation was found between tumor cell potential for lymphatic metastasis and tumor cell adhesion to the lymphatic cells. / It is postulated that, in the present system, adhesion to fibronectin is one of the factors regulating tumor potential for lymph node metastasis.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.60477 |
| Date | January 1991 |
| Creators | Djoneidi Djafari, Maziar |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Master of Science (Division of Surgical Research.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 001244012, proquestno: AAIMM72031, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
Page generated in 0.002 seconds