The effect of washing procedures on the phosphate metabolism of Ehrlich ascites-tumour cells

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Abstract
Washed Ehrlich ascites-tumour cells, depleted of ATP by incubation in nitrogen, show a small and erratic resynthesis of ATP when incubated in air. Unwashed cells show a rapid resynthesis of ATP in air, raising the concentration of ATP to about 90% of the original value. The damage is caused by the mechanical disturbance involved in the washing process, and is exacerbated by shaking. The rate of decrease in the concentration of inorganic phosphate in washed cells on the addition of glucose in the presence of air is the same as that in the absence of air. In unwashed cells the rate is more than twice as great in air as in nitrogen. These changes in the behaviour of the cells on washing are present to a large extent even when the gentlest possible treatment of the cells is used to resuspend them after contrifuging.