Structural Differences Produced in Mammalian Cells by Changes in Their Environment

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Abstract
Epidermal cells assume a different form and internal structure when they are cultured in tissue-culture medium containing protein or in medium without protein. They grow as flattened sheets of cells on the flask walls in a medium containing protein and in free-floating, rounded clumps in medium without protein. If they are cultured in protein-free medium in the presence of a Millipore filter, they attach themselves to it and grow in flattened sheets just as they do in medium containing protein. Cells grown in protein medium produce characteristic lamellar bodies which appear to be derived from mitochondria. The Golgi complex is highly developed in epidermal cells grown in any of the tissue-culture media in contrast to its vestigial nature in epidermal cells in situ. This is consistent with a possible osmoregulatory function, since the cells in vitro are in a water-rich tissue-culture medium. Cells growing in suspension exhibit an ability to reduce osmium tetroxide on postosmication of their mitochondria, which does not occur when they are grown in flat sheets. This is independent of the medium in which they grow. It is postulated that the surface configuration of the cell may influence the chemistry of its mitochondria.

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