Glucose oxidation by adherent and mechanically detached cultured cells

This study examined the effect of mechanical detachment from the growth surface on energy metabolism of cultured cells. Oxidation of [1(-14)C]glucose measured by production of 14CO2 by adherent neuroblastoma (123 +/- 5 nmol/mg protein per minute), glioma (128 +/- 10 nmol/mg protein per minute), and fibroblast (137 +/- 5 nmol/mg protein per minute) cultures was similar. Removing cells from the culture flask by scraping reduced glucose oxidation by 62, 30, and 82% in neuroblastoma, glioma, and fibroblast cultures, respectively. Transferring cells from a culture flask to a test tube, to control for diffusional surface area, did not further reduce glucose oxidation. Detaching cells from the growth surface destroyed the extensive process formation and disrupted the normal spatial organization on the culture plate. These results indicate that it is essential to maintain these aspects of cellular architecture when evaluating metabolic properties of cultured cells.