Effect of Pluronic F-68 on the mechanical properties of mammalian cells.
The mechanical properties of TB/C3 hybridoma cells taken from a continuous culture were measured by micromanipulation. The culture conditions were constant except for the presence or absence of Pluronic F-68 in the medium. It was found that the mean bursting membrane tension and the mean elastic area compressibility modulus of the cells were significantly greater (60% and 120%, respectively) in a medium with 0.05% (w/v) Pluronic F-68 compared to that without Pluronic. Pluronic F-68 therefore affected the strength of the membranes when the cells were exposed to it for a long period of time, i.e., in culture. The short-term effect of Pluronic F-68 on cell strength was also tested by its addition at various levels up to 0.2% (w/v) immediately before the mechanical property measurements. The resulting cell strength depended on the Pluronic concentration, but a significant short-term effect could only be detected above a threshold of 0.1% (w/v). Previous reports on the effect of Pluronic F-68 on animal cell culture are evaluated in the light of these observations.
School of Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham, UK.
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Zhang
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al-Rubeai
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Thomas
D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004548:Elasticity; D006825:Hybridomas / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D011060:Poloxalene / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013499:Surface Properties
D011060:Poloxalene