[Fibronectin in cultured mouse sarcoma cells induced by foreign bodies]

Indirect fluorescence was used to study distribution of fibronectin in cultured cells of 5 mouse foreign body-induced sarcomas (PS-4, PS-84, PS-100, PS-103, PS-130) and cells of early (2-3 months postimplantation) capsules surrounding implanted plastic films. Accumulation of pericellular or matrix fibronectin in dense cultures compared to sparse ones was noted in all the lines except PS-84. In confluent cultures of these lines, a three-dimensional fibrillar network of fibronectin typical for fibroblast-like cells was observed. The pattern was very similar to that found in dense cultures of non-neoplastic early capsule cells. The data obtained show that loss of pericellular fibronectin would not serve as a marker of neoplastic transformation in this cellular system.