Stimulation of 7-day chick embryo lung cells by insulin and thyroid hormone

Rotational-mediated aggregation techniques of 7-day chick embryo lung cells were performed in the presence of 1-3H-glucosamine and 1-14C-glycine, and hormones were added to assess some of the factors involved in the formation of histotypic structures and organogenesis. 3,3',5-Tri-iodo-thyronine, 10(-8)M, stimulated 1-3H-glucosamine incorporation 300%, while insulin, 10(-6)M, led to a 70% augmentation and the combination of 10(-8)M 3,3',5-tri-iodo-thyronine and 10(-6)M insulin resulted in a 400% increase in 1-3-H-glucosamine incorporation. Glycine-1-14C incorporation was enhanced 70% by tri-iodo-thyronine and 60% by insulin. Tri-iodo-thyronine and insulin produced a 200% increase in 14C labelling from 1-14C-glycine. The effects of the combination of these two hormones appear to be additive; insulin stimulation of aggregation or the formation of histotypic structures paralleled the stimulation of the incorporation of glucosamine and glycine.