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Requirements for growth of single human cells

R Z LOCKART, H EAGLE

    Science (New York, N.Y.)
    |January 30, 1959
    PubMed

    Insights

    Supplementing minimal media with whole serum, not dialyzed, improved human cell growth. Adding specific amino acids, particularly serine, overcame nutritional deficiencies for HeLa and other cell lines.

    Area of Science:

    • Cell Biology
    • Biochemistry
    • Nutritional Science

    Background:

    • Minimal media with dialyzed serum support many human cell lines.
    • However, optimal growth of specific cell strains like HeLa, HeLa S3, conjunctiva, and KB cells is not achieved.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the nutritional requirements for optimal growth of specific human cell strains in culture.
    • To identify factors in whole serum essential for cell propagation.

    Main Methods:

    • Comparing cell growth in minimal media with dialyzed serum versus whole serum.
    • Assessing plating efficiency and clone growth rates.
    • Evaluating the effect of adding non-essential amino acids.

    Main Results:

    • Minimal media with dialyzed serum supported limited growth of low-inoculated cell cultures.
    • Whole serum significantly enhanced plating efficiency and growth rate compared to dialyzed serum.
    • Adding seven non-essential amino acids corrected the deficiency, with serine being particularly effective.

    Conclusions:

    • Specific human cell lines require factors present in whole serum for optimal growth.
    • Non-essential amino acids, especially serine, are crucial for overcoming nutritional deficiencies in cell culture media.
    Keywords:
    AMINO ACIDS/effectsTISSUE CULTURE/effect of drugs on

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