Substrate activation of cell adhesion factor as a prerequisite for cell attachment.

Cell Adhesion Factor, complexed to insoluble collagen-coated tissue culture dishes, is required for the attachment of fibroblasts to this substrate. In solution, the factor has no demonstrable affinity for cells in suspension following trypsin-EDTA removal of cells from monolayer. Cell surface receptors for the factor are present during the assay period since cells allowed to recover for 1 h at 37 degrees C, 4 degrees C or in the presence of 10(-6) M cycloheximide show exactly the same kinetics of adhesion as control cells. It is demonstrated that Cell Adhesion Factor acquires affinity for the cell surface only following its binding to collagen.