Formaldehyde Fixation of Extracellular Matrix Protein Layers for Enhanced Primary Cell Growth

Coating tissue culture vessels with the components of the extracellular matrix such as fibronectin and collagens provides a more natural environment for primary cells in vitro and stimulates their proliferation. However, the effects of such protein layers are usually rather modest, which might be explained by the loss immobilized proteins due to their weak non-covalent association with the tissue culture plastic. Here we describe a simple protocol for a controlled fixation of fibronectin, vitronectin and collagen IV layers by formaldehyde, which substantially enhances the stimulation of primary cell proliferation by these extracellular proteins.