Cyclic AMP does not affect the rate at which cells attach to a substratum

Cyclic AMP has been reported to increase the adhesion of fibroblasts to a substratum. In these experiments, theophylline and dibutyryl 3',5' adenosine monophosphate (dbcAMP) treated cells were shown to be less susceptible than nontreated cells to detachment from Falcon polystyrene tissue culture bottles. As cell detachment and cell attachment (the term 'stickiness' is used to mean the tendency to attach) are different properties of cell substratum interactions, the effects of theophylline and dbcAMP on cell 'stickiness' are measured. Although dbcAMP does decrease cell detachability, it does not increase the 'stickiness' of either transformed (BHK py) or normal (BHK 21-13s) baby hamster kidney cells.