The growth response of cells in medium made hyperosmolal with electrolytes or mannitol

A comparison of the growth rates of established human lymphoid and tumor cell lines was performed in nutrient medium made hyperosmolal with mannitol, NaCl, or mixtures of NaCl and KCl at a constant Na/K ratio. It was found that considerably higher osmolalities were attained with mannitol than electrolytes before a reduction in the growth rate of the culture was observed. This suggests that mannitol and electrolytes affected the growth rate through different mechanisms. Mannitol uptake was studied with two of the cell lines and both cell lines were found to be permeable to mannitol. This eventually would have eliminated the osmolality gradient between the interior of the cell and the medium, and could explain why higher osmolalities were obtained with mannitol before the growth rate was effected. In addition, initial experiments showed that these cell lines may also be able to metabolize mannitol.