[Adhesion and mobility of embryonic and tumoral cells]

Regulation of a number of adhesion molecules during neural crest cell migration was studied. The neural crest, a transient embryonic neural epithelium structure, undergoes mesenchymal transformation (epithelial-mesenchymal transition). The cells then migrate, giving rise to a variety of elements including the peripheral nervous system and melanocytes. During migration, neural crest cells do not express functional cell Adhesion Molecules but interact specifically with cell-binding domains in fibronectin molecules. A rat bladder carcinoma cell line was used as an in vitro model to study conversion of epithelial cells to a migratory fibroblast-like state. Conversion can be induced by culture on collagen or exposure to acidic Fibroblast Growth Factor (aFGF). Furthermore, constitutive fibroblast-like transformation can be induced by transfection with cDNA encoding aFGF. Growth factor-producing clones exhibit increased invasive and metastatic properties as compared with non-FGF-producing control cells. This model may provide increased understanding of the role of the different adhesion molecules in processes involving cell remodeling, such as tumor spread and development of metastases.