Cell-surface interactions: differential inhibition by proflavine of embryonic cell aggregation and production of...

Cell recognition and morphogenetic aggregation of embryonic cells into tissues are mediated by specific macromolecules in the cell surface (cell-aggregating factors). A factor specific for embryonic neural retina cells was demonstrated; its synthesis is required for histotypic reaggregation of retina cell suspensions. We show that proflavine (3,6-diaminoacridine) preferentially and reversibly suppresses production of the cell-aggregating factor and thereby inhibits normal cell reaggregation. If such proflavine-treated retina cells are exogenously supplied with the retina-specific factor, they reaggregate. The selectivity of these effects supports the postulated significance of specific cell-surface components in cell association into tissues; the results indicate that proflavine may be a useful molecular probe for studying formation of specific cell-surface components and their role in various cell interactions.