Characteristics of human prostatic cell cultures

In preliminary experiments, the respective requirements of prostate-derived epithelial cells were compared with those of human lung fibroblast line (WI38). Optimal levels for cysteine and glutamine were similar but not identical. The response of these two cell types to the macromolecular fraction of serum (dialyzed) was reciprocal. These results suggest that serum contains a dialyzable factor or factors necessary for the growth of prostatic epithelial cells.