High Density Lipoproteins and the Growth of Vascular Endothelial Cells in Serum-Free Medium

• Published in: In Vitro Vol. 17; no. 6; pp. 519 - 530
• Main Authors: J. -P. Tauber, Cheng, J., S. Massoglia, Gospodarowicz, D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Tissue Culture Association, Inc 01-06-1981
• Subjects: Animals; Blood; Blood Vessels - cytology; Cattle; Cell culture techniques; Cell Division - drug effects; Cell growth; Cell Survival; Cells, Cultured; Cornea - blood supply; Culture Media; Cultured cells; Doubling time; Endothelial cells; Endothelium - cytology; Fibroblast Growth Factors; Growth Substances - pharmacology; HDL lipoproteins; Insulin; Lipoproteins; Lipoproteins, HDL - pharmacology; Peptides - pharmacology; Transferrin - pharmacology; Transferrins; Ungulates
• ISSN: 0073-5655; 2327-4328; 1475-2689
• DOI: 10.1007/bf02633513

Low density bovine vacular endothelial cell cultures maintained on dishes coated with an extracellular matrix can be grown in serum-free Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium supplemented with high density lipoprotein (HDL) and transferrin. Such cultures do not require insulin. Early passage cultures exposed to HDL and transferrin grew as well as cultures exposed to optimal serum concentrations and could be passaged repeatedly in total absence of serum. A requirement for fibroblast growth factor to ensure an optimal growth could be observed only with late-passage cultures. The present results suggest strongly that HDL is involved in supporting the proliferation of vascular endothelial cells in vitro. This may be important for our understanding of the biological role of HDL "in vivo."