Specific adhesion of rat hepatocytes to beta-galactosides linked to polyacrylamide gels

Rat hepatocytes, isolated by a collagenase perfusion technique, specifically bind to polyacrylamide gel containing covalently immobilized 6-aminohexyl beta-D-galactopyranosyl groups. Less than 5% of these cells bind to polyacrylamide or to gels with the following covalently linked ligands: 6-aminohexanol, or the 6-aminohexyl D-pyranosides of alpha-mannose, beta-glucose, beta-2-acetamido-2-deoxyglucose, beta-cellobiose, beta-maltose, or beta-melibiose. Cell binding to beta-D-galactoside gels occurs after a lag period at 37 degrees and 65 to 100% (depending on the cell preparation) of the cells adhere. The duration of the lag period is inversely related to the beta-D-galactoside content of the gel but preincubation of the cells at 37 degrees reduces the lag period. Cell-gel binding is a threshold phenomenon. Adhesion of cells to gels does not occur when the glycoside concentration is less than about 900 nmol per cm2 x 0.25 mm thick gel piece. Above this critical concentration, cell-gel binding occurs and becomes maximal when the concentration is increased by only 20%. If these in vitro results apply to cellular interactions in vivo, they suggest that slight changes in the levels of cell surface or extracellular matrix carbohydrates may profoundly influence the behavior of neighboring cells.