Density-dependent changes in the amount of sulfated glycosaminoglycans associated with mouse 3T3 cells

The relative amount of sulfated glycosaminoglycans associated with the cell layer of parent and SV40-transformed Swiss mouse 3T3 cells was determined from the incorporation of labeled sulfate (35SO4) into macromolecular material. In cultures of SV40-transformed cells, the glycosaminoglycan content per cell was constant over a wide range of densities. In cultures of parent 3T3 cells, the glycosaminoglycan content per cell increased directly with density, the highest values being found in contact-inhibited cultures. At high cell densities, the glycosaminoglycan content of 3T3 cells was several-fold higher than that for SV40-transformed cells. Most of the density-dependent increase in glycosaminoglycans of 3T3 cells was accounted for by chondroitin sulfate (dermatan sulfate) which was over 6-fold higher in confluent cultures than in low density cultures.