Fluoride and bovine bone extract influence cell proliferation and phosphatase activities in human bone cell cultures

The effects of fluoride (20 mumol/L) and bovine bone extract (17 micrograms/ml) were determined on cultures of human bone cells, embryonic chick bone cells, and human skin fibroblasts. The incorporation of [3H]thymidine into DNA was measured 16 hours after the addition of factors. After three to five days treatment, Triton X-100 extracts of the cells were assayed for acid phosphatase activity, in the presence and absence of tartrate, and for alkaline phosphatase activity. Fluoride stimulated [3H]thymidine incorporation and specific activity of alkaline phosphatase in human bone cells and chick bone cells but not in human skin cells. Fluoride also stimulated the cell population doubling rate of the human bone cells with an optimum of approximately 20 mumol/L. Bovine bone extract stimulated thymidine uptake into DNA several-fold and decreased alkaline phosphatase activity in all three types of cultured cells. The specific activity of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase was increased in bone cells but not in skin fibroblasts. These results suggest that fluoride specifically stimulates the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts, while the growth factors in bovine bone extract primarily stimulate proliferation of bone cells. Cultures of human bone cells respond similarly to chick calvarial cells when treated with fluoride or bovine bone extract.