[Changes in cell spreading area and cell surface morphology of Tca8113 line affected by fibronectin]

Morphometric changes in cell spreading area and morphological alternation in cell surface of human tongue squamous cancer line Tca8113 on rat-tail collagen substrata supplemented with different concentration of FN and/or anti-FN serum were quantified and observed with cell culture technique as well as light and scanning electron microscopes. It was found that FN could increase the cell spreading area and also area of lamellar cytoplasm of Tca8113 cells on collagen substrata, and that cells grown on FN-collagen substrata tended to flatten out, stretch out more filopodia, and sink more deeply into the substrata with the FN concentration. The results indicated that FN might relate closely to certain stages in the process of tumor invasion.