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Chemically-induced and Thermally-induced Cell Fusion: Lipid-Lipid Interactions

Nature New Biology volume 242, pages 215–217 (1973)Cite this article

Abstract

LYSOLECITHIN in aqueous media1,2, attached to protein3, and in micro-droplets of lipid4 will induce cells to fuse, giving rise to homo- and heterokaryons. Membrane fusion may be induced by directly favouring a localized micellar organization for the membrane lipids or lipoproteins rather than a bi-molecular leaflet structure, while other perturbing molecules would be anticipated to produce comparable changes in the organization of membranes by differing mechanisms5. A number of unsaturated fatty acids and their esters also induce hen erythrocytes to fuse into multinucleated cells under appropriate conditions6. We suggest from our studies that these agents may initiate the fusion process by increasing the degree of membrane fluidity and by modifying the orientation of the polar groups of choline-containing phospholipids. Some preliminary aspects of this work have been presented elsewhere7,8.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine, University of London, 8 Hunter Street, London, WC1N 1BP

    Q. F. AHKONG, F. C. CRAMP, D. FISHER, J. I. HOWELL, W. TAMPION, M. VERRINDER & J. A. LUCY

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  1. Q. F. AHKONG
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  2. F. C. CRAMP
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  3. D. FISHER
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  4. J. I. HOWELL
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  5. W. TAMPION
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  6. M. VERRINDER
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  7. J. A. LUCY
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AHKONG, Q., CRAMP, F., FISHER, D. et al. Chemically-induced and Thermally-induced Cell Fusion: Lipid-Lipid Interactions. Nature New Biology 242, 215–217 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1038/newbio242215a0

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