Cellular Polarity Correlates With Vimentin Distribution, But Not To Keratin, In Human Renal Cell Carcinoma Cells In Vitro

Abstract

To investigate the relationships among vimentin, keratin and cellular polarity, reorganized glands composed of renal cell carcinoma cells were investigated in vitro. We employed two different three-dimensional collagen gel culture methods, the “floating sandwich method (FSM)” and the “dispersed embedding method (DEM).” The cells composed of reorganized glands formed by FSM culture showed distinct polarity. In contrast, the cellular polarity of the cells formed by DEM culture was less distinct. Keratin was evenly distributed throughout the cytoplasm regardless of the culture method. In contrast, in reorganized glands obtained by FSM culture, vimentin was distinctly polarized at the basal pole while glands obtained by DEM culture showed random distribution of vimentin. These results suggest that there is a close relationship between cell polarity and intracellular localization of vimentin, and that there may be different mechanisms controlling the organization of the two intermediate filament (IF) networks. © 1994, Japan Society for Cell Biology. All rights reserved.