Interaction of malignant MO4 cells with chick hypoblast in culture

Malignant MO4 mouse fibrosarcoma cells were confronted with fragments of hypoblast from stage 4 (Vakaet 1970) blastoderms in different dispositions either permitting or preventing contact of the hypoblast with the tissue culture plastic. Explantation of an MO4 cell aggregate on top of 24 h-old-hypoblast caused retraction of the hypoblast. Contact inhibition of ruffling in hypoblast cells at the inner margin, by MO4 cells migrating radially from the aggregate, prevented closure of the hole brought about by the initial retraction. Disintegration of hypoblast was not observed. Migration of MO4 cells during the first 24 h was faster from an aggregate explanted on top of hypoblast than from an aggregate explanted on tissue culture plastic. Hypoblast fragments explanted on top of confluent layers of MO4 cells attached and spread during the first 12 h. Later, the hypoblast progressively disintegrated. Here, MO4 cells accumulated underneath the hypoblast. We concluded 1) that the hypoblast attracted the MO4 cells by influencing their pattern of migration and 2) that contact with the artificial substrate allowed survival of hypoblast confronting malignant MO4 cells. Ultrastructural analysis suggested that formation of extracellular material played a major role in the interaction between the normal tissue and the malignant cells.