CELL-SHAPE AND ARRANGEMENT OF CULTURED AORTIC SMOOTH-MUSCLE CELLS GROWN ON COLLAGEN GELS

Aortic smooth muscle cells (SMC) grown on conventional plastic culture dishes have morphological and functional properties of dedifferentiat ed cells in subculture. We examined the influence of collagen gels on the cell shape and arrangement. The cells grown on collagen gels showe d a multilayered growth with formation of nodules. When the edge of th e collagen gels was detached from the culture dish, the shape and arra ngement of cells on the edge differed from that of the central, still attached region. The cells grown on floating collagen gels exhibited a spindle-like shape and were arranged in concentric circles. These fin dings suggest that the physical property of the substrate influences t he cell shape and arrangement.