The appearance and internalization of transferrin receptors at the margins of spreading human tumor cells.

Using gold complexes stabilized with a monoclonal antibody specific for the human transferrin receptor, the distribution of transferrin receptors on the surfaces of human epidermoid carcinoma A431 cells has been mapped at high resolution. On prefixed cells and cells incubated at 5 degrees C, the receptors are predominantly within and around clathrin-coated microdomains near the free cell margin. By preincubating the cells with saturating concentrations of free antibody at 5 degrees C and warming them to 37 degrees C in the presence of the gold complexes, the appearance of new receptors in the membrane has been followed. The majority first appear near the free cell margin and then move centripetally. At first, they are monodisperse, but as they move toward the site of internalization they form loose aggregates. Within the immediate vicinity of the clathrin-coated microdomains the migrating receptors form closely packed, ordered aggregates. These observations indicate recycling transferrin receptors move to their site of internalization without cross-linking.