The effect of microtubules on the morphology of a fibroblast monolayer and its extracellular matrix

: The aim of this investigation was to study the effect of microtubule-specific drugs, taxol and colcemid, on the morphology of cytoskeletal systems and distribution of cell-associated extracellular matrix in dense cultures of fibroblasts. Immunomorphological examination of human 6-8 days old cultures revealed that microtubules, actin and vimentin filaments and filaments of extracellular matrix: fibronectin and tenascin-preferentially oriented in parallel with long axes of cell bodies. Depolymerization of microtubular system by colcemid and its disorganization by taxol lead to rapid and drastic changes in morphology of all cytoskeletal systems and in the organization of matrix network: fibronectin and tenascin filaments became disordered and, in particular, lost any orientation. These data show that microtubular system controls the morphological organization, and not only of two intracellular cytoskeletal systems, but also of extracellular matrix structures.