THE EFFECT OF DILUTION OF PLASMA MEDIUM ON THE GROWTH AND FAT ACCUMULATION OF CELLS IN TISSUE CULTURES

1. Dilution of plasma with isotonic solutions causes a more extensive migration in cultures of cells of the actively migratory type, such as those of spleen and bone marrow. Dilution with a limited quantity of distilled water produces the same effect. Less actively motile cells are influenced little or not at all by dilution. The effect on cells of the first type is probably due to the reduction in the quantity of fibrin in the clot producing lessened resistance to cell locomotion. 2. Dilution of plasma with either isotonic solutions or distilled water is without effect on cell multiplication, as is shown by records of the number of mitoses in living culture preparations. 3. Dilution of plasma with suitable quantities of Ringer's solution causes a marked diminution in the quantity of fat accumulated by the cells. This reduction is to be attributed to the decrease in the quantity of fat in the medium. The accumulation of fat by cells in cultures is therefore not to be regarded as the result of a cell degeneration, but as an accumulation, the source of the fat being the medium in which the cells are growing.