THE LOSS OF PHENOTYPIC TRAITS BY DIFFERENTIATED CELLS IN VITRO, I. DEDIFFERENTIATION OF CARTILAGE CELLS

Abstract
Chondrocytes liberated from embryonic cartilage by means of trypsin and immediately organ-cultured continue to synthesize chondrotin sulfate and incorporate inorganic S35 into ester-bound sulfate. After being cultured under conditions that suppress differentiation but encourage cell multiplication, these cells, when organ-cultured, (1) fail to differentiate into recognizable chondrocytes, (2) fail to synthesize chondroitin sulfate, and (3) fail to incorporate S35 into ester-bound sulfate. Dedifferentiated cartilage cells may differentiate into fat cells.