The serum growth and survival requirements of SV40-transformed 3T3 cells

Summary Simian virus 40-transformed 3T3 cells are dependent on serum for survival and growth. This growth activity can be separated on a pH 2 Sephadex G100 column into two fractions: a high molecular weight activity and a low molecular weight substance that has recently been characterized as containing as its major agent, biotin. To replace the remainder of the serum requirement, hormones and other growth factors were tested. Both insulin at high, nonphysiological concentrations (200 to 500 ng/ml) and transferrin (5×10⁻⁸ M) stimulate the growth rate in low serum medium (0.3% v/v bovine calf serum DME) individually and, when added together, are nearly as growth enhancing as 10% serum. The need for the residual serum in this medium can be eliminated by the use of crystalline trypsin during trypsinization. Under these serum-free conditions, biotin and transferrin supplementation provide for moderately good growth (20 to 30 hr population doubling time, 1×10⁶ cells/3.2-cm dish final cell density). Insulin addition further stimulates the growth rate (16 to 20 hr) and the final density (1.5×10⁶ cells). Although the protein growth factors, EGF (0.5 to 1.0 ng/ml) and FGF (4 to 10 ng/ml), also appear to enhance growth individually and additively, their effects are slight and very variable. Nevertheless, the complete serum-free medium (DME supplemented with biotin, transferrin, insulin, EGF and FGF) yields growth comparable but still inferior to 10% serum supplementation (14-versus 12-hr population doubling time, 1 to 2×10⁶ versus 2 to 3×10⁶ cells final cell density). This work was supported by NIH Grant CA 20040.     

Trypanosoma cruzi: Responses by cells from infected mice to alloantigens

In unidirectional mixed lymphocyte cultures containing (as responders, stimulators, or regulators) spleen cells from mice infected with Trypanosoma cruzi, alloantigen responses were less than in cultures containing normal spleen cells only. Depletion of plastic adherent cells from infected spleen cells (stimulators or regulators) reversed their inhibitory effect on normal spleen cells (responders); removal of adherent responder cells and/or B lymphocytes did not alter the low alloantigen responses of normal spleen cells (stimulated by infected spleen cells) or infected spleen cells (stimulated by normal spleen cells). Infected spleen cells were effective in regulating mixed lymphocyte cultures only when added at the initiation of the culture. Serum from infected mice suppressed mixed lymphocyte cultures containing responder spleen cells syngeneic to the serum donor if added up to 24 hr after initiation of cultures, whereas the “suppressor serum” had to be present at the initiation of cultures when responder cells were allogeneic to the serum donor. Cultures of infected spleen cells (whole or macrophage enriched) produced a factor which was suppressive when added to mixed lymphocyte cultures containing syngeneic responder cells at initiation. It is proposed that the serum suppressor substance regulates cell-mediated immune responses directly by suppressing the response-potential of cells and indirectly by triggering the release of a factor from adherent splenic cells which induces a hyporesponsive state in T lymphocytes.     

A portable pump sampler for lotic periphyton

A sampling technique for collecting lotic periphyton on sedimentary substrates using a peristaltic pump is described. Quantitative samples of periphyton standing crop and colonization rate are collected by the same procedure. The technique eliminates human disturbance problems associated with floating artificial samplers by establishing permanent sampling sites directly on submerged substances.     

Identification of a distinct phase during melanogenesis that is sensitive to extracellular pH and ionic strength

The cell line B16/C3 will undergo melanogenesis at a specific time after plating. We have found that this time can be modulated by varying the pH of the culture medium. At high pH levels (8.2–8.6) the onset of melanogenesis occurs in 3 or 4 days, while at lower pH (6.7–7.2) it occurs in 7 or 8 days. Furthermore, the time of onset is also sensitive to the extracellular ionic strength. The addition of sodium lactate, sodium chloride, or any other salt tested delays or blocks completely the onset of melanogenesis. These effects are not simply consequence of growth inhibition, nor can they be correlated with patterns of lactate accumulation. These cells are sensitive to pH or ionic strength after entering the stationary phase just prior to the time of onset of melanogenesis. The existence of a specific pH-and ionic-strength-sensitive phase may provide an important clue to the events responsbile for differentiation in this system.     

Age as a factor in 6-hydroxydopamine-induced plasticity in the hypothalamus

Summary The question of age as a possible factor influencing the regenerative response of catecholaminergic varicosities in the hypothalamus was investigated in the supraoptic commissure and the paraventricular, periventricular, and dorsomedial hypothalamic nuclei of rats that had received intraventricular injections of the neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine when they were (1) neonates, (2) young adults, or (3) senescent adults. After postneurotoxin survival for 4, 21, 56, or 180 days, the animals were perfused, and the hypothalamic tissue sections were cut and processed using a glyoxylic acid method for localizing catecholamines. Four days following neurotoxin administration, counts of fluorescent varicosities showed a significant loss of catecholamine varicosities in each of the four areas. Subsequently, at least partial restoration of numbers of catecholamine varicosities occurred in all hypothalamic areas in all three age groups. It is concluded that, following selective lesions induced by the neurotoxin 6-OH-DA, catecholamine varicosities were restored both in immature and mature groups. According to the evidence obtained experimentally, the rate of restoration was greater in the neonate group, whereas the percentage restoration attained varies according to the hypothalamic area studied and the age of the animal.     

Selectivity in endocytosis of serum and cytosol proteins by macrophages in culture

It was found that cultured mouse macrophages preferentially endocytose and degrade short half-life serum and cytosol proteins. With increasing duration of endocytosis, the components of longer half-life are increasingly endocytosed and degraded. The relevance of these observations to the selectivity of protein turnover is discussed.     

Affinity chromatography on immobilised nucleotides. Some applications to the purification of thermophilic dehydrogenases and kinases.

The effect of pH and temperature on the capacity and binding of Bacillus stearothermophilus, alcohol dehydrogenase and phosphofructokinase to N6-(6-aminohexyl)-5'-AMP-Sepharose has been examined. Specific elution from the substituted AMP-Sepharose was examined using a variety of cofactors, fragments of cofactors and substrates. A purification scheme for each enzyme on the substituted AMP-Sepharose using nucleotides and gradients of pH and salt is presented. Interestingly, elevated temperature increased the affinity of both enzymes for N6-(6-aminohexyl)-5'-AMP-Sepharose, however, the Michaelis constant for nucleotide determined at various temperatures remained constant. The effect of pH and salt concentration on the binding of B. stearothermophilus glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase to 6-aminohexanoyl-NAD+-Sepharose was also examined; raising the pH above 7.5 lowers the capacity of the matrix and the effect of a range of ammonium sulphate concentrations on the adsorption of the enzyme was examined. A specific purification of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase from partially purified extracts of this organism was achieved.     

Enhancement of Mycoplasma Virus Plaque Visibility by Tetrazolium

The plating of mycoplasma virus MVL-1 is greatly improved by the use of tetrazolium to enhance the visibility of the lawn.