Properties of chick embryo chondrocytes grown in serum-free medium

Chick embryo tibial chondrocyte growth and activities were compared in serum-free and serum-supplemented media. A basal salts medium containing equal volumes of Ham's F-12 and Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium was supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum or with a mixture of bovine insulin, transferrin, fibroblast growth factor, dexamethasone, a prostaglandin E1 supplement, and a liposome supplement. Chondrocytes grew at identical rates in both media. Insulin, liposomes, and fibroblast growth factor were required for optimum growth in the serum-free medium, but removal of transferrin, dexamethasone, or prostaglandin E1 had little effect on the growth rate. In the serum-supplemented medium, the chondrocytes synthesized Type II collagen, Mr = 59,000 collagen, and both the large, cartilage-specific and the small ubiquitous proteochondroitin SO4 species typically produced by cultured chondrocytes. In the serum-free medium there was a shift toward synthesis of Type I collagen and a loss of the capacity to synthesize Mr = 59,000 collagen and the cartilage-specific proteochondroitin SO4. The loss of capacity for cartilage-specific proteochondroitin SO4 synthesis began immediately after replacement of the serum with the mixture of defined growth factors and the rate of loss was retarded but not reversed when serum was added back in place of the growth factors. When the serum and the mixture of growth factors were added together to the basal medium at the time of cell plating, the chondrocytes grew rapidly and retained their normal phenotype observed in serum-supplemented cultures. Thus, the serum appears to contain factors which are required for retention of the chondrocyte phenotype in culture over and above those factors necessary for cell growth.     

Kinetics of chick embryo cell types in culture

The growth kinetics and population doubling limits of chick embryonic fibroblasts, chondroblasts, and retinal pigment cells were compared. Chondroblasts were found to have a cumulative population doubling level (37 +/- 3 PDL) similar (p = 0.05) to that of control fibroblasts (42 +/- 2 PDL), in individual and pooled clones. While both cell types have similar doubling potential, the proportion of tritium-labeled nuclei decreases, and differs significantly as doubling level increases. This age-associated decline is due to an extension in the population doubling time. Direct cell-cycle analysis shows this increase to occur in the G1 phase. Furthermore, cartilage colonies maintain their phenotypic expression (metachromasia) throughout their lifespan under conditions of subcloning at sparse density. When fibroblasts derived from 15 day chick embryos are compared with fibroblasts from 10 day embryos (41 +/- 2 PDL) there is no significant difference (p = 0.05) in cumulative PDL or percent labeled nuclei, indicating that fibroblasts of different embryonic age have similar potential. The addition of hydrocortisone and insulin to the medium significantly shortens (25 +/- 2 PDL) the lifespan of 10 day chick fibroblasts. Kinetics of retinal pigment cells show a population doubling potential (29 +/- 1 PDL) different from fibroblasts and chondroblasts, suggesting that different cell types may not have similar limits on doubling potential when first determined in embryogenesis. Hydrocortisone and insulin have no effect on the growth kinetics or lifespan of retinal pigment cells in culture.     

Myosin synthesis by fusion-arrested chick embryo myoblasts in cell culture.

The synthesis and accumulation of myosin was studied in subcultures of fusion-blocked, postmitotic embryonic chicken myogenic cells. Electron micrographs and fluorescent microscopy with antimyosin revealed that most, if not all, of these cells contain myosin. It was also found that these cells are capable of accumulating myosin at rates comparable to fused cells. Incipient T-tubule formation was also present in some of the blocked cells. It is concluded that cell fusion is not a prerequisite for myosin synthesis and accumulation or T-tubule formation during myogenesis in vitro.     

Depression by hyaluronic acid of glycosaminoglycan synthesis by cultured chick embryo chondrocytes

Proteins synthesized during the preimplantation period of mouse embryogenesis were labeled with radioactive tyrosine and lysine and fractionated by electrophoresis on polyacrylamide disc gels containing sodium dodecyl sulfate. For interstage comparisons and comparisons of the incorporation of different amino acids at the same developmental stages, the embryos were incubated with either ³H- or ¹⁴C-labeled amino acids. The embryos were then combined, and the proteins were isolated and electrophoresed simultaneously. The data were analyzed with a dual isotope computer program and expressed in the form of ${}^{14}\text{C}{}^3\text{H}$ ratios.Approximately 20–25 labeled protein components of apparent molecular weights between 25,000 and 115,000 can be defined, and 5 are most significant quantitatively. Of the latter, there are developmental increases in the rates of synthesis of 3 (with apparent molecular weights of 35,000 to 37,000, 37,000 to 41,000, and 66,000 to 70,000), a decrease in the rate of synthesis of another (53,000 to 57,000), and little change in the last (46,000 to 49,000). Developmental changes in the rates of synthesis of several other components are also demonstrated by the ${}^{14}\text{C}{}^3\text{H}$ incorporation ratios. The relative amounts of the different proteins synthesized by day 3 (early blastocyst) embryos over an 8-hr period remain constant, as does the relative labeling by lysine and tyrosine at each developmental stage examined. Similarly, there is no change in the pattern of the radioactive proteins when day 2 (8–16 cell) embryos are labeled for 2 hr and then incubated for an additional 24 hr. The greatest change in the overall pattern of protein synthesis occurs quite early, between day 1 (2 cell) and day 2, and lesser changes occur at later stages. These findings are in contrast to the major change in the rate of protein synthesis which occurs after day 2.     

Perfluorocarbon-based medium for culture of the early chick embryo heart

Summary In an attempt to prolong the survival of the explanted early chick embryo heart, hearts at stages 10 to 28 were cultured in supplemented Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium with or without the perfluorocarbon, perfluorotributylamine. The perfluorocarbon was added to the standard culture medium in a 50∶50 (vol/vol) mixture. Explants were evaluated daily and were harvested for light microscopy after 2 to 10 d in culture. The tubular shape of the explants was generally maintained for 2 d in culture, after which the hearts became dilated or spherical. Beating was noted in some of the explants on Day 2 in culture but not thereafter. Microscopic evaluation showed patchy areas of necrosis in all explants by Day 3, although large areas of viable epithelioid cells were documented as long as 7 d after explantation. State 16 to 18 hearts cultured in the presence of perfluorocarbon were more likely to maintain tubular architecture on microscopy than hearts cultured in standard medium. Hearts cultured from later stages showed no improvement in appearance with the presence of perfluorocarbon and there was a suggestion of increased necrosis in later-stage explants cultured with pefluorocarbon for 4 d. Further modification of the culture system will be required to prolong explant survival and development beyond 2 d.     

Effect of culture filtrates of black-pigmented Bacteroides species on the matrix production of chick embryo chondrocytes in vitro

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek -     

Type X collagen synthesis during in vitro development of chick embryo tibial chondrocytes

In the developing chick embryo tibia type X collagen is synthesized by chondrocytes from regions of hypertrophy and not by chondrocytes from other regions (Capasso, O., G. Tajana, and R. Cancedda, 1984, Mol. Cell. Biol. 4:1163-1168; Schmid, T. M., and T. F. Linsenmayer, 1985, Dev. Biol. 107:375-381). To investigate further the relationship between differentiation of endochondral chondrocytes and type X collagen synthesis we have developed a novel culture system for chondrocytes from 29-31-stage chick embryo tibiae. At the beginning of the culture these chondrocytes are small and synthesize type II and not type X collagen, but when grown on agarose-coated dishes they further differentiate into hypertrophic chondrocytes that synthesize type X collagen. The synthesis of type X collagen has been monitored in cultured cells by analysis of labeled collagens and in vitro translation of mRNAs. When the freshly dissociated chondrocytes are plated in anchorage-permissive dishes, most of the cells attach and dedifferentiate, as revealed by their fibroblastic morphology. Dedifferentiated chondrocytes, after several passages, can still reexpress the differentiated phenotype and continue their development to hypertrophic, type X collagen-synthesizing chondrocytes. Hypertrophic chondrocytes, when plated in anchorage permissive dishes, attach, maintaining the differentiated phenotype, and continue the synthesis of type X collagen.     

Inhibition of chick embryo hepatic uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase by components of xenobiotic-treated chick embryo hepatocytes in culture. II.

A variety of xenobiotics, viz., 3,3',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (TCBP), sodium phenobarbital (PB), 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-2, 4,6-trimethylpyridine (OX-DDC), and nifedipine, cause a decrease in uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase (UROG-D) activity, accompanied by uroporphyrin accumulation, in chick embryo hepatocytes in culture. In this study the activity of 17-day-old chick embryo hepatic UROG-D was determined by measuring the conversion of pentacarboxylporphyrinogen I to coproporphyrinogen I, and it was shown that a UROG-D inhibitor, previously reported to accumulate in TCBP-treated and PB-treated chick embryo hepatocytes in culture, also accumulates in OX-DDC-treated and nifedipine-treated chick embryo hepatocytes in culture. It was concluded that the accumulation of a UROG-D inhibitor provides an explanation for the UROG-D inhibition observed in this culture system with xenobiotics that cause uroporphyrin accumulation. Studies of the UROG-D inhibitory fraction isolated from the 10,000 x g, 40,000 x g, and 100,000 x g supernatant fractions of cultured chick embryo hepatocyte homogenate led to the conclusion that the UROG-D inhibitor is derived from a soluble component of the homogenate.     

Induction of porphyrin synthesis in chick embryo liver cell culture by synthetic polychlorobiphenyl isomers

The effects of a series of synthetic di-tetra- and hexachlorobiphenyl isomers and commercial polychlorinated biphenyls on the porphyrin biosynthesis in chick embryo liver cells in culture were examined.It was found that 3,4,3′,4′-tetra- and 3,4,5,3′,4′,5′-hexachlorobiphenyl isomers were the most active inducers, which were approximately 20 times as active as 1,4-dihydro-3,5-dicarbethoxy-2,4,6-trimethylpyridine (DDC) in porphyrin production. 3,5,3′,5′-Tetra- and 2,3,4,2′,3′,4′-hexachlorobiphenyl isomers were moderate inducers, which were approximately 2.0 to 2.5 times as active as DDC. 2,4,6,2′,4′,6′-Hexachlorobiphenyl showed the same activity as DCC. Compounds such as 4,4′-di-, 2,3,2′,3′-, 2,4,2′,4′- and 2,6,2′,6′-tetrachlorobiphenyl were weak inducers and 2,5,2′,5′-tetrachloro- and decachlorobiphenyl isomers were found to be inactive. Kanechlor-400 was the strongest inducer among the commercial polychlorinated biphenyls investigated.The structural requirements for potent porphyrin-inducing activity of chlorobiphenyl isomers were found to be the para and meta substituted structure causing a more highly conjugated and nearly coplanar conformation. It was found that induction caused by some chlorobiphenyls was subject to feed-back repression by end-product heme. In addition, the metabolism of chlorobiphenyls in mice was influenced by the unsubstituted pairs of carbon atoms in the molecule. These results lead us to postulate the following hypothesis, namely, that strong inducers may displace heme directly and incorporate into a hydrophobic pocket of the apo-represor protein, thus causing an induction of δ-aminolevulinic acid synthetase.     

The culture of chick embryo chondrocytes and the control of their differentiated functions in vitro. I. Characterization of the chondrocyte-specific phenotypes

We have maintained chick embryo chondrocytes in culture for more than 2 months, passaging the floating cells in the absence of ascorbic acid. Throughout the culture period some of the cells attached to the dish, assuming an epithelial-like morphology and subsequently giving rise to new floating cells. The interconversion of the two cell populations was highest in primaries and decreased with the aging of the culture. Cartilage cells synthesized pro-alpha 1 (II) collagen and sulphated proteoglycans in vitro; compared with floaters, the epithelial-like cells secreted relatively large amounts of fibronectin. When ascorbic acid was added to the medium, all cells attached, maintaining their rounded shape; in this condition the pro-alpha, (II) collagen was matured and collagen fibres were detectable outside the cells. Other specific proteins synthesized by the chondrocytes in culture were also identified. One of these, a 64 K collagenase-sensitive protein, was not related to the type II collagen and may represent a new collagen type.     

Inhibition of chick embryo hepatic uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase by components of xenobiotic-treated chick embryo hepatocytes in culture

Uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase (UROG-D) activity in the 10,000g supernatant of 17-day-old chick embryo liver homogenates was determined by measuring the conversion of pentacarboxylporphyrinogen I to coproporphyrinogen I. The optimum pH of the enzyme was found to be approximately 6.0 and enzyme activity was found to be linear with protein concentrations ranging from 0.3 to 2.0 mg/mL. At a protein concentration of 1.2 mg/mL and pH 6.0, the activity was found to be linear for a reaction time of 50 min and to be approximately 10 pmol/(mg protein.min). This enzyme assay was used to demonstrate that a UROG-D inhibitor, previously reported to accumulate in rodent liver, also accumulates in 3,3'4,4'-tretrachlorobiphenyl (TCBP) and sodium phenobarbital (PB) treated chick embryo hepatocytes in culture. This results accords with the previous demonstration of a TCBP- and PB-induced decrease in UROG-D activity in this system. Uroporphyrin accumulation in chick embryo hepatocyte culture is interpreted as resulting from a combination of two mechanisms, viz., inhibition of UROG-D activity and uroporphyrinogen oxidation to uroporphyrin catalyzed by a cytochrome P-450 isozyme.