Phagocytosis of exogenous collagen by cultured murine fibroblasts and macrophages: a quantitative electron microscopic comparison

Macrophage-like U937 cells recognize collagen fibrils with strain-induced discrete plasticity damage

At its essence, biomechanical injury to soft tissues or tissue products means damage to collagen fibrils. To restore function, damaged collagen must be identified, then repaired or replaced. It is unclear at present what the kernel features of fibrillar damage are, how phagocytic or synthetic cells identify that damage, and how they respond. We recently identified a nanostructural motif characteristic of overloaded collagen fibrils that we have termed discrete plasticity. In this study, we have demonstrated that U937 macrophage-like cells respond specifically to overload-damaged collagen fibrils. Tendons from steer tails were bisected, one half undergoing 15 cycles of subrupture mechanical overload and the other serving as an unloaded control. Both halves were decellularized, producing sterile collagen scaffolds that contained either undamaged collagen fibrils, or fibrils with discrete plasticity damage. Matched-pairs were cultured with U937 cells differentiated to a macrophage-like form directly on the substrate. Morphological responses of the U937 cells to the two substrates-and evidence of collagenolysis by the cells-were assessed using scanning electron microscopy. Enzyme release into medium was quantified for prototypic matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) collagenase, and MMP-9 gelatinase. When adherent to damaged collagen fibrils, the cells clustered less, showed ruffled membranes, and frequently spread: increasing their contact area with the damaged substrate. There was clear structural evidence of pericellular enzymolysis of damaged collagen-but not of control collagen. Cells on damaged collagen also released significantly less MMP-9. These results show that U937 macrophage-like cells recognize strain-induced discrete plasticity damage in collagen fibrils: an ability that may be important to their removal or repair.

Inductive action of epithelium on differentiation of intestinal connective tissue of Xenopus laevis tadpoles during metamorphosis in vitro

The action of the epithelium on differentiation of connective tissue cells of Xenopus small intestine during metamorphosis was investigated by using culture and morphological techniques. Connective tissue fragments isolated from the small intestine at stage 57 were cultivated in the presence or absence of homologous epithelium. In the presence of the epithelium, metamorphic changes in the connective tissue were fully induced by hormones including thyroid hormone (T3), as during spontaneous metamorphosis, whereas they were partially induced in the absence of the epithelium. Macrophage-like cells showing non-specific esterase activity in the connective tissue were much fewer in the absence of the epithelium than in the presence of it, and aggregates of fibroblasts possessing well-developed rough endoplasmic reticulum developed only in the presence of the epithelium. Just before the aggregation of the fibroblasts, the connective tissue close to the epithelium became intensely stained with concanavalin A (ConA) and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA). The present results indicate that the epithelium plays important roles in the differentiation of intestinal connective tissue cells, which in turn affect the epithelial transformation from larval to adult form during anuran metamorphosis. Thus, the tissue interaction between the epithelium and the connective tissue in the anuran small intestine is truly bidirectional.

Mechanisms of tumor invasion: evidence from in vivo observations

The major mechanisms of tumor invasion in vivo are discussed in the present review. A special emphasis is placed on tumor dedifferentiation which has proved to be of paramount importance for the invasion process. Based on in vivo observations obtained from various human and animal tumors a concept for the mechanism of tumor invasion is proposed which mainly comprises the following basic events: the first and essential step in tumor invasion is the tumor dedifferentiation and dissociation at the invasion front. This apparently temporary and reversible process mobilizes the tumor cells out of the main tumor bulk and enables them to invade the host tissue by active locomotion. This mechanism is essentially supported by an interstitial edema in the host tissue adjacent to the tumor periphery, which causes an 'opening and widening' of the host intercellular spaces. Enzymatic changes in the micromilieu of the extracellular matrix may contribute to this process. The tumor cell proliferation completes the invasion process in so far, as the invading tumor cells are still able to proliferate, leading this way to expanding tumor cell nests in the host tissue which have the potency to redifferentiate. The expansive growth of these tumor cell nests results in a progressive atrophy of the host tissue, mainly caused by an increasing compression and a competitive withdrawal of oxygen and other nutrients by the tumor cells. The overall picture of tumor invasion can therefore be considered as a repetitive cycle of active tumor cell locomotion followed by focal tumor cell proliferation in the host tissue.

Bone resorption in osteogenic sarcoma--II. Resorption of the bone collagenous matrix by tumor cells, normal fibroblasts and macrophages

Three osteogenic sarcoma cell lines of human and canine origin were compared to normal fibroblastic cells and peptone-induced murine peritoneal macrophages in terms of bone collagenous matrix (BCM) resorption capacity. The dissolution of the BCM was measured in an in vitro system consisting of the tested cells and live or killed [3H]-proline-labeled fetal mouse long bones. Experiments with osteogenic sarcoma cells revealed a paradoxical phenomenon indicating an inverse relationship between the number of tumor cells and the rate of collagen resorption from live bones. On the other hand, collagen matrix of devitalized bones, particularly those denatured by exposure to heat, is strongly resorbed by osteogenic sarcoma cells even in the presence of serum. Contrary to osteogenic sarcoma cells, normal fibroblasts do not resorb collagen from either live or killed bones, regardless of the devitalization method and culture conditions utilized. Macrophages resorb collagenous matrix from live bones, but their collagen resorption activity from devitalized bones depends greatly on choice of the incubation condition. Results have shown that osteogenic sarcoma tumor cells, when acting alone, may not have the capacity to destroy healthy bone. We suggest, therefore, that bone destruction seen in osteogenic sarcoma patients depends on the metabolic condition of the affected bone, and the interaction between the tumor and normal host cells and tissues.

A freeze-fracture study of two types of collagen-phagocytosing cell in the post-partum rat endometrium

In the post-partum rat endometrium, ultrastructural distinction could be made between stromal cells (fibroblast-like cells) and macrophages, especially by the freeze-fracture technic. The stromal cells were characterized by a well-developed rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum (RER) and intercellular junctions, while the macrophages had many vacuoles and vesicles, but no intercellular contact with each other. The freeze-fracture image showed that the stromal cells had many low linear elevations and gap junctions on the cleaved plane of the cell membranes, while the macrophages had no linear elevations or intercellular junctions. The cell membranes of the stromal cells had more intramembranous particles (IMP) (P-face 697 +/- 63/micrometers 2, E-face 303 +/- 52/micrometers 2) than those of the macrophages (P-face 467 +/- 50/micrometers 2, E-face 217 +/- 35/micrometers 2). It was confirmed that these two types of cell phagocytosed collagen fibrils.

The cellular organization of fibroblastic cells and macrophages at regions of uncalcified cartilage resorption in the embryonic chick femur as revealed by alkaline and acid phosphatase histochemistry

Resorption of uncalcified cartilage in the embryonic chick femur appears to be mediated by two types of mononuclear cells. One cell type lies flattened and adherent along the surface of the cartilage matrix into which it extends cellular processes. Cytological characteristics of a large, euchromatic nucleus containing a nucleolus, and cytoplasm containing moderate to extensive amounts of rough endoplasmic reticulum indicate that these are protein synthetic cells. Macrophages, characterized by a pleomorphic shape and cytoplasm containing numerous mitochondria and vesicles, comprise the second cell type. These may be seen lying in contact with cartilage matrix, but are more likely located in the nonhematopoietic marrow adjacent to resorbing cartilage, where they establish close cellular associations with protein synthetic cells. Alkaline and acid phosphatase histochemical studies differentiate these two cellular types. Marrow alkaline phosphatase activity is restricted to the cartilage-marrow interface from which it diffuses a short distance into cartilage matrix, but does not diffuse into nearby marrow. Intracellular alkaline phosphatase is present only in protein synthetic cells that line the surface of cartilage, and thus appears to be produced by these cells. Acid phosphatase positive macrophages are scattered throughout the marrow, but are found in greatest concentrations in the region of cartilage resorption. They are rarely in direct contact with cartilage, and there is no evidence that acid phosphatase is released from these cells. The relative localizations and the presence of cellular interactions of these two cell types suggests that protein synthetic cells may be of fibroblastic origin, and may play a primary role in cartilage degradation, while macrophages, in keeping with biochemical evidence, play an adjunct or possibly a regulative role.