HEPES-buffered media may induce prostaglandin release from macrophages in tissue culture

Abstract

On investigating the release of PGE₂ from mouse peritoneal macrophages in tissue culture it was found that the spontaneous release of PGE₂ was dependent on the culture conditions employed. The type of buffering of the medium was especially important. Using CO₂-sodium bicarbonate buffers we observed little, if any, spontaneous release of prostaglandins (PGs) from macrophages, whereas in the presence ofN-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N′-2-ethanesulfonic acid (HEPES) buffer in some cases a dramatic increase in PG release was observed.