THE NUTRITION OF ANIMAL TISSUES CULTIVATED IN VITRO

Abstract

Cultivation of freshly explanted chick embryonic heart tissues in Hanks'' salt solution for 3 to 4 days creates a general state of nutritional deficiency in the cultures. Provided the depletion is not prolonged beyond 4 days, the cultures subsequently revive and survive to a normal period in synthetic medium M 150. Paper chromatographic studies on the culture medium showed that the amino acid metabolism of the depleted cultures is restored to a normal pattern with a few days in medium M 150. By the use of the nutritional deficiency technique, a coenzyme A requirement for this type of culture is shown.