Reaggregation of sponge cells: Specificity and recovery of adhesion.

The involvement of Concanavalin A (ConA), α-methylmannose and glucuronic acid in the reaggregation of fresh water sponge cells has been tested. Glucuronic acid has been found to be the potent inhibitor and the indication is that this group is involved in the binding of aggregation factor to the cell surface. When cells were washed with EDTA and periodate to inactivate the aggregation factor, a lag phase of 5-6 h was required for the cells to recover the adhesive capacity. Puromycin does not inhibit this recovery process of EDTA washed cells. Con A, α-methylmannose and glucuronic acid interfere with this recovery of adhesion and the cells remain nonaggregative, probably due to their interference with the insertion of aggregative molecules on the cell surface.