PRIMARY EPITHELIAL-CELL CULTURE OF ADULT-RAT KIDNEY, ENHANCEMENT OF CELL-GROWTH BY AMMONIUM ACETATE

Primary monolayer cultures of epithelial-like cells from adult Lewis rat kidney demonstrated enhanced growth and survival over a 3-week period when cultured in medium supplemented with 10 mM ammonium acetate. In addition to enhancing the growth and survival of epithelial-like cells, 10 mM ammonium acetate also suppressed the growth of a subpopulation of cells having a fibroblast-like morphology. Both epithelial-like and fibroblast-like cells reacted positively in histochemical reactions for gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) and 5′-nucleotidase, enzymes found in high amounts in kidney tubular epithelium. Despite the enhanced survival of cells in the presence of ammonium acetate, most cells in primary culture eventually died out. Electron microscopic examination of dying epithelial-like cells revealed the presence of numerous large lysosomes filled with amorphous electron-dense material. These findings substantiate the prediction of Seglen (Exp cell res 107 (1977) 207) that ammonia might cause increased growth of primary cells in culture, presumably through its nitrogen-preserving action. © 1979.