Fibronectin What is it

1
Fibronectin- What is it ?

• Molecular Interactions of Fibronectin
• Http//www.gwumc.edu/biochem/ingham/fnpage.htm
• Stephanie Kaszuba

2
Outline

• Structure and overview of fibronectin
• Properties and general uses of fibronectin
• What I will be doing with it
• Conclusions
• Works cited

3
Structure -Well, What is it ?

• large glycoprotein
• naturally occurring in the human body
• can live in isolation
• will not regenerate tissue or induce cell growth
  if not in contact with certain surfaces (e.g..
  sulfunated polystyrene surfaces)

4
Structure (contd)

• three types of modules in Fibronectin,
  separated by small connecting sequences
• I 12 II 2 III 15
• ( III is found in approx 2 of all animal
  proteins )
• each module has an independently folded domain
  and core residues
• -the domain can undergo reversible unfolding
  monitored by changes in temperature, light
  intensity and/or wavelength distribution of
  fluorescence
• -modules I and II have 4 conserved cysteines
  with 2 disulfide bonds each (crucial for
  stability and function )
• each modules stability depends on interactions
  with other modules, which affects the overall
  shape of the protein
• modules of the same type have similar folds
• all three types have b sheets, no a helixes

5
General Uses

• Found in
• -connective tissue -plasma
• -body fluids
• Induces growth of
• -tissues
• -cells

6
Properties

• interacts with a variety of macromolecules
• -components of the cytoskeleton and
  extracellular matrix
• -circulating components of the blood clotting,
  fibrinolytic, acute phase and complement
  systems
• -cell surface receptors, like ones on
• -fibroblasts
• -phagocytes
• -neurons
• -bacteria
• Interacts with itself, forming fibrillar entities
  (the structure is not well understood)
• Binds small molecules (e.g.. gangliosides,
  sugars, caions, etc)
• -recognition located on distinct fragments or
  domains (many expressed in recombinant form or
  isolated from proteolytic digests with retention
  of specific binding properties)

7
What I Will Be Doing With It

• Measure 100ug of bovine fibronectin.
• Mix until it dissolves.
• Spin this solution onto glass.
• Using the floating procedure, float this film
  onto silicon
• -vary the polymer that has been spun, floated
  and annealed onto the surface (e.g.. PMMA, PS,
  Polycarbonate, etc)
• Buffer 1ml saline solution with phosphate in a
  petri dish. (Ph 7.2)
• Add 1 penicillin.
• Place gratings into the petri dish and incubate.

8
Conclusions

• Fibronectin needs a surface to recognize in order
  to achieve its purpose of tissue regeneration.
• In my experiment, the thin film polymer that
  causes the most growth is the most advantageous
  to use to induce tissue growth and/or cell
  reproduction.
• This can be used to coat a synthetic organ, for
  example, to lengthen the lifetime of the implant.
  New tissue could develop around the implant,
  keeping it in place and accepting it.

9
Works Cited

• http//www.gwumc.edu/biochem/ingham/fnreview.htm
• -has its own bibliography at
• http//www.gwumc.edu/biochem/ingham/biblio.htm