The influence of collagen on the development of muscle clones.

Abstract

Single embryonic chick muscle cells form macroscopic colonies in culture containing differentiated muscle fibers. The development of such muscle clones depends upon the use of medium harvested from conditioned medium. Collagen present in conditioned medium in some form might support the development of muscles clones. The ability of a substratum of precipitated collagen from rat-tail tendons to substitute for conditioned medium was examined. Single cells plated in unconditioned medium on a collagen-coated surface give rise to muscle colonies whose morphology is comparable to those which develop in conditioned medium. The use of collagen substratum replaces the requirement for conditioned medium. The development of muscle cells requires the presence of a metabolic product of an associated cell type[long dash]the fibroblast. The development of a number of different cell types depends upon the close proximity of connective tissue elements.