title: Evaluation of insulin-mimetic trace metals as insulin replacements in mammalian cell cultures.
abstract: Insulin is involved in a number of cellular functions, including the stimulation of cell growth, cell cycle progression and glucose uptake and is a common protein supplement in serum-free mammalian cell culture media. However, several trace metals have previously been reported to exhibit insulin-like effects on specific cell types. As a step towards developing chemically-defined, protein-free media for mammalian cells, we tested the effectiveness of five trace metals (cadmium, nickel, lithium, vanadium and zinc) as a replacement for insulin. Four cell lines of biotechnological relevance were used, including the hybridoma CRL1606, the myeloma NS0, and the Chinese hamster ovary cell lines CHO-IFN and CHO-K1. Zinc was found to be an effective insulin replacement for the hybridoma, myeloma and CHO-K1 cells. Cell growth, cell cycle progression and antibody production was not affected by the substitution. Furthermore, no adaptation procedure was required.
authors.affiliation: Bioprocessing Technology Institute, Agency for Science Technology and Research, A*STAR, 20 Biopolis Way #06-01, 138668, Centros Singapore, victor_wong@bti.a-star.edu.sg.
authors.forename: Victor V T
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Kah Wye
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Miranda G S
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Yap