Release of extracellular matrix components by bovine bone endothelial cells in continuous culture

Production of collagen type I (pIp), type III (pIIIp), type IV (CIV), type VI (CVI), fibronectin (FN), laminin and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) has been investigated in a clonal line of Bovine Bone Endothelial (BBE) cells continuously growing in culture. BBE cells produced pIp, pIIIp and FN, whereas they did not synthetize significant amounts of CIV, CVI and laminin. pIp, pIIIp and FN syntheses were influenced by cell density:pIp secretory activity reached its maximum just after cell seeding, whereas pIIIp and FN production increased later, when cells were subconfluent. Furthermore, BBE cells produced and released significant amounts of GAGs into medium.