Extracellular matrix assembly of cell-derived and plasma-derived fibronectins by substrate-attached fibroblasts

Using a previously described model system for the incorporation of plasma fibronectin into the extracellular matrix (McKeown-Longo, P.J. and Mosher, D.F., 1985. J. Cell Biol., 100:364-374), we compared the binding of cell-derived and plasma-derived fibronectins to human fibroblast cell layers. Binding was measured in time course experiments using metabolically labeled cell-derived, iodinated cell-derived, and iodinated plasma-derived fibronectins. The kinetics of matrix assembly of cell- and plasma-derived fibronectins were the same. Competitive binding curves using intact fibronectin or the 70-kD amino-terminal fragment of fibronectin suggested that cell surface binding sites have equal affinity for cell- and plasma-derived fibronectins. Iodinated fibronectins did not bind to isolated matrices containing collagen type I, fibronectin, and thrombospondin. These results suggest that fibroblasts do not distinguish between cell-derived and plasma-derived fibronectins when assembling exogenous fibronectin into extracellular matrix.