Changes induced by concanavalin A in morphological and adhesive properties of suspension cells

In the presence of concanavalin A obtained from nata beans ( Canavalia gladiata), mastocytoma cells, Ogun, HR-1, Janosky and monocytic leukemia cells in suspension culture rapidly adhered to the glass surface and gradually spread their cytoplasms like monolayer cells. The morphological shape of the spreading cells differed according to cell strains. The spreading cells were not detached by the treatment with trypsin or with EDTA. Actinomycin D and cycloheximide did not affect either the adhesion or the spreading of mastocytoma cells. Colchicine inhibited the adhesion of mastocytoma cells only slightly but it caused a great change in the morphological shape of the spreading cells. The cell adhesion was temperature-dependent and was inhibited markedly by d-mannose and α-methyl- d-glucoside and slightly by d-galactose.