1970 Articles

Cellular and viral contributions to maintenance of the SV40-transformed state

Pollack, Robert

1. A complex type of intercellular contact, requiring cluster formation among three cells or more, is a prerequisite to growth control for a large number of established fibroblast lines.
2. This form of contact occurs at lowest cell densities among cells that synthesize a specific protein that blocks intercellular WGA agglutination.
3. High saturation density cells, lacking this protein, are rapidly agglutinated by WGA.
4. Low saturation density cells, including a line containing SV40 T antigen and the SV40 genome, make this protein, and consequently are agglutinated poorly.
5. The presence of the SV40 genome and SV40 T antigen are not sufficient to guarantee that a cell lines will have a high saturation density or that it will respond well to the WGA agglutinin.