Lectin binding and uptake and glycoprotein characterization of isolated porcine aortic endothelial and smooth muscle cells

Abstract

Endothelial and smooth muscle cells were isolated from porcine aorta and kept in short-term culture. To determine the terminal carbohydrate composition of the plasma membranes from both cell populations, the cells were incubated with a panel of fluorescein-labelled lectins. Both cell populations shared a number of terminal carbohydrates, but the N-galactosamine specific lectin Wistaria floribunda agglutinin labelled only endothelial cells. A lectin which selectively labelled smooth muscle cells was not found. Western blot analysis of isolated endothelial cell membrane glycoproteins indicated that most membrane glycoproteins are labelled by Wistaria floribunda agglutinin.