• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.108-118
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• 1990

Fibronectin is a glycoprotein found in the extracellular matrix as well as in the serum, and has been known to exert pronouned effed on the myoblast fusion. Our previous studies have suggested that the decrease of fibronectin levels during myogenesis is due to the decreased availability of the receptor for the 28 kDa fragrnent of fibronetin. In the fusion-blocked myoblasts by EGTA, the levels of fibronetin and binding of 28 kDa fragment decreased but far less than the control level. In contrast, the levels of fibronetin and binding of 28 kDa fragment decreased to the control level in the myoblast released from the fusion block. On this account, we suggest that the decrease of fibronetin levels during myoblast fusion is closely associated with the loss or alteration of the receptor for 28 kDa fragment. Mild trypsin treatment decreased the binding of the 28 kDa fragment to the myoblasts significandy. Similarly, the presence of gangliosides in the binding media decreased the binding of the 28 kDa fragment in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, gel overlay of 125 I-28 kDa fragment on the SDS-PAGE of the myoblast homogenates revealed that the 28 kDa fragment bound to a 43 kDa protein and to gangliosides as well. These results suggest that myoblast fusion is correlated with decrease of the receptor for the 28 kDa fragment and that the receptor might be a glycoprotein that contains glyco-conjugate found in gangliosides.