Arrest of cell membrane movements by in vitro incubation with polycation reversed by polyanion

A total arrest of cell membrane movement occurred after incubation for 2 h of cultured fibroblasts with the polycation DEAE-dextran. The immobilized cells resumed normal membrane undulations after exposure for 5 min to the polyanion dextran-sulphate. The influence of DEAE-dextran on the electrophoretic mobility, which was seen after 10 min of incubation was also erased by a subsequent incubation with dextran-sulphate. No influence on growth of the culture was seen.