Animal cells release traces of material onto glass or silicon surfaces
during adhesion and migration, This little studied phenomenon is a wi
despread and normal concomitant of cell migration, The paper introduce
s the study of such material. The traces can be visualised by differen
t microscopic techniques (e.g. TIRF, IRM, CLSM, AFM, SEM). Cell traces
typical for different cell lines (NIH 3T3 and L929 mouse fibroblasts,
mouse macrophages, mouse sarcoma cells and human osteosarcoma cells)a
re shown and discussed, There are well organised structures such as di
fferent linear and nodular elements as well as patches. Traces can ext
end up to some hundred micrometers from the cell, but the dimensions o
f the linear elements are in the submicron range, Cell traces are not
identical with focal contacts but can include them, A first classifica
tion of basic elements is proposed, It allows an estimation of the tot
al volume and surface in comparison to the donor cell, Higher order st
ructures are discussed and a first insight into the protein compositio
n of traces produced by mouse fibroblasts is given. Our observations,
together with the cell adhesion literature suggest that the amount of
released material, its extent and chemical and structural properties d
epend on cell type and physiology as well as other external influences
. Cell traces in combination with the adhesion pattern of the donor ce
ll should give information about the activity and physiological status
of individual cells, the mechanisms of cell locomotion and the molecu
lar composition of the donor cell membrane, The traces might possibly
be used as submicron elements for passive electric characterisation an
d biotechnological applications.