Figure 3.

MDCK cells use β1 integrins and α6β4 integrin to adhere to LN5. A single-cell suspension of MDCK cells was plated in wells of a 96-well plate coated with either bovine serum albumin (BSA) (−control), collagen I, or LN5 in the presence or absence of function-blocking antibodies against β1 integrin (AIIB2) or α6 integrin (GoH3). After 90-min incubation at 37°C, unattached cells were washed away, and numbers of attached cells were estimated after fixation and staining by measuring absorbance of solubilized stain. Almost no cells attach to BSA-coated wells, whereas nearly all cells attach to wells coated with either collagen I or LN5. Anti-β1 integrin abolishes all adhesion to collagen I, but by itself has no effect on adhesion to LN5. Anti-α6 integrin reduces cell adhesion to LN5 somewhat, but is much more effective in combination with anti-β1 integrin. *p < 0.05 and **p < 0.001 relative to no antibody LN5 control.