Extracellular matrix proteins regulate morphologic and biochemical properties of tracheal gland serous cells through...

The extracellular matrix has been shown to influence the differentiation of epithelial cells. To identify cues from the extracellular matrix controlling the differentiation of tracheal gland serous cells, we examined the effects of culturing these cells on various extracellular matrix proteins. Bovine tracheal gland (BTG) serous cells attached to Type IV collagen (COL IV), laminin (LM), and fibronectin (FN) in a concentration-dependent manner. Morphologic analysis showed that cells formed confluent monolayers on COL IV or LM, whereas on FN, cells formed birefringent spheres. Metabolic labeling experiments showed that [35S]methionine-labeled protein bands at 68, 105, and 120 kD were prominent when cells were grown on COL IV or LM, but were lost or reduced when the cells were grown on FN. COL IV also enhanced the expression of proteins at 14, 16.5, 18, and 21.5 kD. Attachment to all substrates was inhibited by an antibody directed against beta 1 integrins. This antibody precipitated several integrin heterodimers from a BTG cell membrane extract, caused partial retraction of cells from all substrates, and strongly suppressed the expression of COL IV- and LM-dependent proteins. Control experiments indicated that the latter did not require conspicuous changes in cell shape. These results show that some biochemical properties of serous cells are regulated by integrin-mediated effects of extracellular matrix proteins in vitro and suggest that similar regulation may occur during normal development and remodeling of the glands in vivo.