Cytoskeletal protein synthesis and organization in cultured mouse osteoblastic cells. Effects of cell density

The most abundant cytoskeletal proteins synthesized in mouse endosteal osteoblastic cells were identified employing two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting. The relative rate of synthesis of the proteins were measured on radioautograms of detergent-soluble and -insoluble lysates of the cells labeled with [35S]methionine. Doubling initial cell density induced a 10-45% reduction in the de novo synthesis of actin, alpha-actinin, vimentin and beta-tubulins with no change in alpha-tubulins. Increasing cell density caused a 45% decrease in the polymerized form a actin with no change in the unpolymerized fraction, suggesting a correlation of alteration of the organization and synthesis of proteins.