Effect of Lack of Glutamine on Subline 2071 Mouse Cells

Abstract

Cells of the subline NCTC 2071 from NCTC clone 929 of the L strain of cells of mouse fibroblast origin were grown continuously in synthetic medium NCTC 109 for 30 months. The medium contained no added protein. Since this is the only known strain of cells so far adapted to growth in synthetic protein-free medium and grown continuously for long intervals, its nutritional requirements were examined in detail. This was done both to simplify the medium and to get information that might be useful in adjusting other long-established cell strains to growth in the protein-free nutrient fluid. Three experiments were set up: (A) the control on the stock NCTC 109 protein-free medium, (B) the same medium without glutamine, and (C) the same medium with glutamine and asparagine omitted. In all instances the population numbers fell below the inoculum numbers in the absence of glutamine. The drop in populations was usually precipitous and could be seen in some instances within 17 hours after the cells were transferred to the deficient medium. Glutamine was very rapidly removed from the medium by the cells when it was present. The few surviving cells in the (B) and (C) mediums apparently obtained enough glutamine by the destruction of their neighbors to function metabolically to a limited extent.