Cell versus nuclear morphometry of serum-stimulated fibroblasts: nuclear changes precede cell changes

Area of Science:

• Cell Biology
• Biophysics

Background:

• Cell and nuclear morphology changes are linked to cell growth and transformation.
• Understanding the temporal relationship of these changes is crucial for cell regulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the dynamic changes in cell and nuclear morphology of WI38 fibroblasts.
• To determine the temporal sequence of morphological alterations following serum concentration increase.

Main Methods:

• Sparsely plated WI38 fibroblasts were cultured with varying serum concentrations (0.3% to 10%).
• Quantitative measurements of cell and nuclear morphology were performed using the Quantimet 720-D image analysis system.
• Feulgen and Wright staining were used for nuclei and cells, respectively.

Main Results:

• A rapid, significant nuclear rounding occurred within 30 minutes of increased serum concentration.
• Cell rounding was observed later, between 30 minutes and 3 hours post-stimulation.
• Nuclear morphological changes consistently preceded cellular morphological changes.

Conclusions:

• A direct coupling exists between nuclear and cellular morphology in WI38 fibroblasts.
• Nuclear morphological alterations initiate before significant changes in cell shape.
• These findings offer insights into the regulation of cell growth and transformation.