Alterations Induced by Thyroidal Hormones in the Response to Temperature by T-1 Kidney Cells 1

Abstract

Summary

Varying the incubation temperature (34.5°-38.5°) significantly affects the mean doubling time (T_d ) and plating efficiency (PE) of the T-1 human kidney cell line. These alterations can be modified to some extent by the introduction of T₄ and T₃ as well as by the cell number of the inoculum. It is speculated that these in vitro responses to temperature raise the possibility of the existence of intracellular thermal controls for mammals.

I thank Professor Cornelius A. Tobias of the Donner Laboratory, University of California (Berkeley) for valuable advice, suggestions, and encouragement while these studies were underway. I am indebted to Dr. Paul W. Todd for the gift of the initial subcultures of the T-1 cells and for advice concerning cell cultures. Excellent technical assistance was rendered by the late Mrs. Willie Jackson of the Donner Laboratory and Mrs. Ann Yang Kong, University of Missouri, Columbia.