Induction of growth in resting fibroblastic cell cultures by Ca++.
Of all the components of the culture medium, only CaCl2 induces DNA replication when added to resting cultures of Balb/c 3T3 cells. The effect is present even in a serum-free medium. Increasing the Ca++ concentration above the standard 1.8 mM in the medium of a new culture increases the total number of cells ultimately produced, without affecting the initial cell growth rate. This effect is synergistic with that of serum. The elevated Ca++ concentration also induces striking morphological changes. The Ca++ effect could not be reproduced by a Ca++ ionophore. These observations afford a new tool for studying how the various intracellular events following the addition of growth factors to resting cultures are involved in the control of cellular growth.
D000818:Animals; D002122:Calcium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002413:Cations, Divalent; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects*; D002460:Cell Line; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006224:Cricetinae; D003470:Culture Media; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007668:Kidney; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; D013539:Simian virus 40; D013997:Time Factors
D002413:Cations, Divalent; D003470:Culture Media; D004247:DNA; D002122:Calcium Chloride