Cellular Structure and Function of Mouse Adrenocortical Tumor Cells Y-1 in the Post-Treatment State of Low Ca²⁺

Abstract

Under lowered Ca²⁺ content and in the post-treatment state of low Ca²⁺, we studied the cellular structure and functioning in mouse adrenocortical tumor cells, Y-1. These cells had been maintained in Ham F12 medium containing 10 % fetal calf serum. The Ca²⁺ present in this complete medium was 0.39 mM.
Under a slightly lowered Ca²⁺ (0.29 mM) produced by EGTA, the cells had many blebs on their surfaces and specific functional activity decreased in steroidogenesis as did ACTH reactivity. In the post-treatment state of a low Ca²⁺, the cellular surface was covered with many short microvilli and there was greater cellular activity than in the control cells.
When the Ca²⁺ concentration was below 0.17 mM, the cellular structure and functioning were disturbed, and there was no recovery even at the physiological Ca²⁺ after the removal of EGTA.