Iron Replacement of Lactalysate and Embryo Extract in Growth of Cell Cultures. ∗

Abstract

Summary

Iron salts and iron-bearing materials replaced lactalysate in stimulation of growth of Walker carcinosarcoma 256 cells in serumless medium and replaced lactalysate and embryo extract in stimulation of chick embryo lung cultures in a similar medium with or without further addition of serum. Presumptive evidence is presented that a stimulatory activity of lactalysate is due to iron and iron-bearing materials. A specific function of lactalysate and embryo extract in overcoming toxicity of serum for embryo cell cultures was served equally well by iron or iron-bearing materials. The avian cells revealed in their incapacity to respond to transferrin a characteristic distinguishing them from the Walker tumor cells.

We wish to acknowledge excellent technical assistance of Miss Joan L. Molowski.