Abstract
It was previously reported that the lifespan of WI-38 human diploid [embryonic lung] fibroblasts in vitro was significantly increased by continuously growing the cell cultures in the presence of vitamin E (dl-.alpha.-tocopherol). In 19 subsequent subcultivation series these results were not reproducible. While vitamin E is incorporated into the cells and is able to act effectively as an antioxidant, apparently its intracellular antioxidant properties alone do not routinely result in an increase of cell lifespan. A synergism between vitamin E and some component(s) in the 1st of 2 lots of serum used in the original experiments seems the most likely explanation for the earlier findings.

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